Planning On Forever, Yeah?
by kaitouahiru
Summary: AU. Itachi is a straight A student and Deidara is a transfer from Iwagakure. When they meet, different kinds of sparks fly. Rated M for cussing and later chapters.
1. Running Into You Literally

Me: this is my first Deidara/Itachi story so please be nice...actually, this is my first Naruto story...

Deidara: Please review, yeah!

Disclaimer: don't own the characters and don't own the song (the song is Plan On Forever) and no, the song doesn't go in time with the story.

* * *

Lyrics from website:

/lyrics/weddingplanner/planonforever.htm

I have planned my life, to the last detail  
With a story book romance to fill my days  
But the funny thing about answered prayer  
Is they come to you in unexpected ways

"What's up with you, Itachi?" Sasori asked as the teenager was staring at his food.

"If you don't want that I'll take it," Kisame said.

"He's as skinny as a twig, Kisame. He _needs_ to eat," Sasori said, glaring at the fishlike man.

"Well jeez, Mr. Student Teacher. I didn't realize it was that big a deal and if you haven't noticed, you're pretty skinny yourself," Kisame said. Sasori 'hmphed' and turned his attention to Itachi.

"Well, Itachi?" Sasori asked.

"If it's alright with you, I'd rather not talk about it," Itachi said. "Especially in the company of the loudmouth cusser and the man who'll do anything for money."

"Hey, you little piece of shit!" Guess who…

"If I had a penny for every time he cussed, I'd be rich…" Again, guess who…

"YOU ARE RICH!" Kisame and Tobi said at the same time.

"Why is Tobi here again?" Itachi asked, his eye twitching.

"Because Tobi is a good boy,"

"Well Tobi, be an even better boy and go annoy Naruto,"

"Okay!" he exclaimed. "Tobi will be a really good boy!"

"He weirds me out," Kisame said.

"Join the club," Sasori agreed.

"What also weirds me out is that you hang out with seniors and a junior, Mr. Akasuna," Kisame said. "And the fact that Itachi trusts you, then there's the blonde girl in your pictures-"

"Blonde girl?" Sasori interrupted. "What are you talking about? The only blonde girls I know are Temari and Ino and they aren't in any of my pictures. Are you talking about Deidara?" Itachi sighed and dug through Sasori's bag. He looked through the pictures of the student teacher's and stared longer then needed at the blonde in the photographs.

"Why does it say 'I'm gonna miss you very, very much, danna'?" Itachi asked.

"I've already told you this story, Itachi," Sasori said. "Several times, in fact."

"But I want to hear it again," Itachi retaliated. Sasori sighed. Although Itachi could go through the whole day and pass all of his classes without paying attention, he was a sucker for stories- especially Sasori's. There was something that made Itachi force Sasori to tell him a story, especially when there was Akatsuki sleepovers.

Akatsuki was what they called themselves back when "Leader" and Konan were second year college students and Itachi was a sophomore, Sasori was a senior, and the rest were junior two years ago. There school was a college and high school mix for reasons we and they don't know why. They still called themselves that but it was still the same, considering that they rarely saw the two oldest members even back then. The only difference now was that Sasori could give them detention.

"Which part?" Kakuzu asked, propped up on his elbows.

"I don't want to hear it from you. I want to hear it from Sasori," Itachi pouted.

"Well we all fucking know that, Itachi," Hidan snapped. "He means what damn fucking part are we starting at?"

"I wanna hear about the part from the picture," Itachi prodded. Sasori sighed. This was one of the rare times Itachi acted like a child- when he was feeling upset and vulnerable after his father had done something to upset him or he was just feeling ready to crack under pressure.

"Well, it was back when I was almost a junior in Iwagakure… and he was your age, Itachi, a ninth grader." (A/N: The Konoha school systen is different then the Iwagakure one because they don't have highschool and college mixes...actually I don't think any school does but its my story, okay?)

Flashback

"Deidara, what are you doing?" Sasori asked. Deidara pouted and held up his camera.

"Well you're going to be leaving soon danna and if we don't take pictures, you'll forget about me,"

"How could I forget you, brat?" Sasori muttered.

"Seriously, danna!" Deidara pouted. Sasori sighed and closed his book, taking the camera from Deidara.

"Hey, Temari, could you take some pictures for us?" Sasori asked.

"Hm? Oh, sure Sasori!" the blonde girl smiled and took the camera from him. "This is because you're leaving for Konoha, right?"

"Yeah… Dei thinks I'll forget him if we don't take pictures to remind me by," Sasori sighed.

"Sasori won't forget you, Deidara," Temari said. "But I'll still take the pictures anyways."

"Thankyou, yeah!" Deidara grinned.

End Flashback

"How come he didn't transfer to Konoha like you and the others?" Itachi asked.

"Because his grades aren't that great…when he last wrote to me he said he pulled them up to a 'C' so if he gets them to a 'B' he should be able to come here," Sasori said.

"Maybe…" Itachi said, seeing the date of 'September 31' on Sasori's open planner.

At the train station, Deidara sighed happily as he waited to be picked up. He would be able to see Sasori again and maybe meet someone new… Sasori's grandma, Chiyo, had moved with Sasori and had agreed to pick him up. He tugged on his long sleeved turtle neck but there was no way he could take it off with all the bruises on his body…

"Hello, Deidara," said the familiar voice of Sasori's grandma.

"Hi, granny Chiyo, yeah!" Deidara grinned. "So Sasori doesn't know yet, right, yeah?"

"It's all been kept from him," she promised. "Is that all you brought, dear?"

"Yeah, it's really all I had," Deidara grimaced. "I'll just get a part time job and get some new clothes and stuff, yeah."

"You're taller then Sasori now… he hasn't grown much, maybe five inches?" Chiyo mused. "You on the other hand have grown very tall. How tall are you now, Deidara?"

"Five foot eight, yeah," Deidara said proudly.

"Yes, he's maybe… five foot four?" Chiyo said. "Yes, I think so. I believe most of his friends are taller then you… except for Itachi, I believe he's about your height."

"Itachi, yeah?"

"The son of Fugaku Uchiha. You will be nice to him, won't you Deidara? He had it bad at home…much like you did. Very much so," Deidara was quiet and winced as one of the people brushed his arm. He bit his lip to keep from yelling at the man.

Chiyo frowned. It was obvious that his father had beaten Deidara even when she and Sasori had left. She did not touch Deidara- not even to hug him. It became obvious to her that he was hurt since he was wearing a long sleeve shirt in Konoha, which usually had warm weather year round. She wondered how Sasori would take this news…

"I'll take you to see the principal now- Sasori will be in class and we should be out before his classes get out," Chiyo said.

"Doesn't he take college courses though too, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"He does but on Tuesdays and Thursdays he works the later periods at the high school," Chiyo said. "And in the mornings until lunch he takes college courses and one or two in the afternoon. Since you're here, I believe you have an 'AB' average?"

"You bet, yeah! I have 'B's' in most of my classes but in science and art I have 'A's'," Deidara said.

"You're doing much better then you were back when we were in Iwa," Chiyo mused. Deidara nodded and got into the passenger seat of her car. He sighed as he looked out the window. A new life was for him, here- in Konoha. Deidara got out of the car.

"Can you find the principal's office by yourself? My legs are beginning to hurt and I would like to rest," Chiyo said. "I'll wait here."

"Sure," Deidara said. "I'll be fine on my own."

"This is so boring man!" Kisame complained. "Why can't we just leave the campus?"

"Because Sasori is taking us home," Kakuzu said. "And it costs money for me to use my car."

"You stupid cheapskate! If it weren't for you and you're lazy ass, we could all be at our fucking homes right now sitting down and watching some fucking TV!"

"I just don't have my car," Itachi shrugged.

"What did happen to your car, by the way?" Kisame asked.

"Totaled it," Itachi said. "You know…"

"And what does your dad know?"

"Some drunk hit me and almost sent me off the cliff," Itachi said.

"You mother fucking street racer-"

"I do not fuck my mother so do refrain from saying so," Itachi said, giving Hidan a heated glare. Kisame sighed. Oh yeah, the regular closed off Itachi was back.

"So how are you going to avoid getting a date to the homecoming dance?" Kisame asked.

"I'll do what I always do; glare at them until they go away," Itachi shrugged.

"And for those idiotic sluts who are stupid enough to actually go up to you like the Haruno's older sister?"

"Then I'll go find Sasori," Itachi said. "They won't go near me if I'm with a student teacher. I'm going to go get a soda."

"Hey, pick me up one too," Kisame said, handing Itachi a dollar.

"Get me a damn soda too," Hidan said, fishing his wallet out.

"Soda costs money…."

"It's a fucking dollar, Kakuzu!"

"Just leave him alone," Itachi said, rolling his eyes before going to find an open soda machine.

While that was happening, Deidara had made it into the principal's office. Deidara was nodding at what the principal was saying but his fists were clenched.

"It says here that while your grades now are 'B's' and two 'A's', it also says that you were somewhat of a problem student and didn't always have good grades," the principal, Tsunade informed him. "You will need to keep up good behavior and good grades, Deidara."

"Alright, yeah," Deidara said. 'Next she's going to say that I need to stop bleaching my hair but I can't cause its freaking natural- so hah!'

"That is all, Deidara. I look forward to seeing you in your classes and not skipping or in detention- and here is your schedule," Tsunade said. Deidara looked up startled.

"Did I miss something?" she asked amused.

"You're not going to say anything about my hair, yeah?"

"Look at my hair, Deidara. My hair is natural blonde and I can tell when someone's hair is bleached or dyed," she said. "Just don't change the color- it looks good on you."

"Alright then, yeah. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah," Deidara said, leaving with his new schedule. He was walking out of the principal's office when he ran into someone. They fell down upon impact, the stranger to Deidara on top him.

"Watch where you're going!" the angry person he ran into said. Deidara glared at him and held the area on his arm just below his shoulder- the asshole had hit his bruise!

"Why don't you watch where you're going, yeah?!" Deidara demanded.

"Deidara?" Itachi said, letting the name roll off his tongue like the name was meant to be said by him. Deidara blushed lightly at the way the teenager said his name.

"How the hell do you know my name, yeah? You sure aren't Sasori-danna unless you died your hair, got contacts, and had one weird plastic surgery that made you look totally different, yeah," Deidara said.

"I'm Uchiha, Itachi," he said. "I recognized you from his pictures."

"D-danna shows you his pictures?" Deidara asked unconsciously, seeing the man in a new light. He blushed a shade darker when he realized how handsome he was. Oh great, he couldn't be falling for someone he just meant- could he?

How could I plan on forever?  
When I never planned on you  
Someone to fall for  
To love for all eternity  
Baby let's plan on forever  
And watch all our dreams come true  
You're what I live for  
Who I can give for ever to  
My destiny is you

"Aren't you supposed to be in Iwagakure?" Itachi asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be getting offa me, yeah?" Deidara retaliated.

"Oh, right," Itachi said. Deidara frowned when he didn't offer and apology but took the hand he was offered since it was probably all the apology he was going to get. "So are you looking for Sasori?"

"No and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him I was here. This whole thing is supposed to be a surprise," Deidara said.

"Fine," Itachi said. "It's not like I care about it anyways."

"Yeah well... I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to say thanks to that or not yeah,"

"Just forget about it," Itachi paused. "Why do you keep adding 'yeah' onto the ends of your sentences?"

"Because I keep adding 'yeah' onto the ends of my senteces, yeah," Deidara said. "Now I gotta go before danna catches wind that I'm here. If you got any more questions, you can walk me to granny Chiyo's car or they can wait until tomorrow."

"I'll pass," Itachi said.

"Suit yourself, yeah," Deidara shrugged. He turned to walk in the direction he was originally headed and Itachi watched him until he turned the corner. When Deidara reached the corner where he was sure Itachi coudn't see him, he leaned heavily against the wall.

"What was with his eyes, yeah?" Deidara shivered, remembering how they had bled into red and then black after he had found out who he was. "Let's just hope that I don't run into him anymore...danna doesn't hang out with him... does he?"

Itachi sighed and returned to his orignal task once the blonde had turned the corner. With the very little patience that Sasori said he had how did he put up with the blonde? He rubbed his forehead and waited for the soda to come out. What was his problem? Why the hell was he still thinking about the blonde?

"You're later then expected," Kisame noted. "Even Sasori's here now."

"Hn," Itachi grunted. He tossed the sodas to Kisame and Hidan, not caring if it blew up in their faces when they opened it. He opened one for himself.

"You alright, Itachi?" Sasori asked.

"What're you reading?" Itachi asked, wanting to change the subject.

"A student's short story," Sasori said. "It's called 'It Takes Two To Tango.' Did you want to read it?" Itachi sighed and nodded, taking it from the student teacher.

"I need it back by tomorrow," Sasori informed him. Itachi nodded.

"Who's it by?" he asked.

"That Hyuuga girl," Sasori said. Itachi nodded, for some reason remembering that her cousin Neji was dating Kiba. Why had that occured to him?

"Isn't she in Sasuke's grade though?"

"She's doing a city competition and asked me to review it,"

"I think we should get the boy home now," Kakuzu said. "If he keeps looking like that..."

"Don't say anything about god fucking money!"

"How dare you! The world is built on money! Religions fall apart but money does not!"

"Not this dispute again..." Sasori sighed. "Let's just go. My patience is wearing thin." Itachi sighed and was the first one to be dropped off, since a) he lived the closest since Hidan was spending the night at Kakuzu's an that was further away and b) Sasori took a quicker route to his house.

"Get some rest, Itachi," Kisame told him.

"Hn,"

"Do it because I will be calling your mother tonight!"

"Hn, bye" Itachi said, slamming the door. He opened the door to his house without using the key since he knew Sasuke was home and hadn't bothered to lock the front door. "Sasuke, what did I tell you about locking the front door?"

"Sorry, aniki," Sasuke said. "You're home late."

"Sasori-sensei dropped me off because I had another class that I was considering joining...how was school?"

"It was alright... that dobe wouldn't leave me alone..." Sasuke said. "Oh, and you know that upcoming dance right?"

"The homecoming?" Itachi responded, "what about it?"

"Well our schools are going to have a joint dance,"

"If I see you with anyone who is more than three years older then you, I will kill you...and him or her," Itachi said.

"Okay," Sasuke said. "Where're you going?"

"To sleep," Itachi responded. "If father comes home, make sure to wake me."

"I will but I don't think he'll be home until tomorrow afternoon. Mom said he's trying to bust a club that's doing illegal street racing," Sasuke said. Itachi nodded. He figured that it was probably "Masked Affinity" that his dad was trying to bust. That was the club he went to to get away from his life but he knew the security was to tough to crack and not to mention everyone wore masks, hence the name.

He sighed and headed up to his room and layed down, taking out "It Takes Two To Tango," by Hinata Hyuuga. Before he could begin reading it, his vision blurred. He cursed and blinked furiously. He finally just gave up on reading for the day. He put the book on his desk and layed down, closing his eyes but not preparing to have the dream that would be haunting his concience for quite sometime.

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Me: Did you like it? Please review

Itachi: What was with making me act like a little kid in the beginning and having my vision blur?

Me: You'll find out in the next chapter!


	2. Good Morning

Me: Hey everybody! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, alerted, ect. the first chapter/my first Naruto story!

Deidara: this chapter's kinda...

Me: this chapter's kinda...?

Deidara: Let the readers decide.

Disclaimer: I no own

* * *

_Before he could begin reading it, his vision blurred. He cursed and blinked furiously. He finally just gave up on reading for the day. He put the book on his desk and laid down, closing his eyes but not preparing to have the dream that would be haunting his conscience for quite sometime._

* * *

Itachi was in two places in his dream. One place, he was sure was the docks about twenty minutes from his school and the other place he was sure was the new club, Masked Affinity, he had secretly been going to get away from his father and he was pretty sure that it was also the one his father was trying to bust for the illegal street racing going on at night.

"_You're kinda the last person I'd expect to be here, but you are looking like a party pooper so I suppose it really is you I'm seeing here," _

"_What? No odd endings at the ends of your sentence?" Itachi retaliated._

"_Hey now, no need to get offensive," he said. "I'm just here for a dance. Care to join me in _my_ kind of dancing? You do owe me after making me attend that stupid-"_

"_Alright, no need to nag," Itachi said. The other teenager grinned in triumph and took his hand, bringing him to the dance floor._

_"So what music fits your style?" he asked._

_"This will do,"_

_"Ayo Technology? Really? Never took you for a dirty dancer…then again I never expected you to be at a club either…"_

_"Just shut up and dance," Itachi said, placing his hands on the other's hips._

When she ready to ride, I'm ready to roll  
I'll be in this bitch till the club close  
What should I do, one thing on all fours  
Now that that shit should be against the law  
From side to side, let the ride, break it down (down down)

_Itachi held his breath as the other moved in ways that made him want him so bad. He could tell that the other was thinking the exact same thing he was- they wanted each other. The other's breath was hot on his ear, ghosting against his neck but never his lips._

You know I like, when you hike and you throw it all around  
Different style, different move, damn I like the way you move  
Girl you got me thinking about, all the things I do to you  
Let's get it poppin' shorty we can switch positions  
From the couch to the counters in my kitchen

_"You know…" the younger said. "For a spoiled rich boy, you sure on one helluva dirty dancer."_

_"You know, for some Iwa kid, you sure are one heckuva ballroom dancer," Itachi said, whispering deliberately in his ear._

Then like that, he was out of his torn black jeans, and black shirt with red cloud designs that was tighter then need be and in a tuxedo. He had a corsage in his hand that he was sure was going to wilt soon. He was running to the docks, panting like he had been running for over a mile but he couldn't be sure since he was tossed into the dream.

_"Where are you, damn it?! I'm here! I made it! I made it…" he said collapsing to his knees. "Where are you?" _

Itachi woke up with a sweat and looked at the time. It was five past midnight. Kisame had probably called by now if he had remembered. He pulled out his cell phone. He had a text message from Sasori.

There's someone I want you to meet…when you meet him, don't kill him.

Itachi raised his eyebrow for two reasons. One was because he was pretty sure that that was a dead ringer that Deidara was annoying and two was because Deidara hadn't told him about their encounter yet or before he had sent the text message. There were no missed calls, meaning that Kisame had called the house or had dropped by to see how he was doing.

He slid out of bed and opened his door. Quietly creeping out, he saw the lights on in Sasuke's bed room. He knocked on the door before opening it. Sasuke was asleep at his desk, his head on his homework.

"Foolish otouto," Itachi said. "You're supposed to finish the homework before you go to sleep…"

"Ngh…" Sasuke said. "Itachi? Aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

"Shouldn't you have finished your homework before you slept?" Itachi asked. "If father found out-"

"I know…I'm sorry. I haven't been getting any sleep lately," Sasuke told him, looking at his homework.

"And why not?" Itachi asked.

"I don't know…well, I do know. I've been having this nightmare over and over," Sasuke said, still not looking at him.

"And what's it about?"

"Y…you're with someone- I can't tell who. You're screaming and he is too, I can tell it's a boy because the voice is to deep to be a girl's but you're screaming at someone and you're leaning over me…I'm half conscious. Then a gun gets fired and…and then I wake up," Sasuke said.

"Well why didn't you tell me?" Itachi asked.

"You seemed so stressed lately and with what's been going on with father-"

"Sasuke, you foolish otouto of mine, I will always have time for you," Itachi frowned. "Now what's so boring about this homework that made you fall asleep?" Sasuke smiled and showed Itachi the Advanced Geometry homework he was working on. The boy was only in eighth grade but hey, the Uchiha clan was made up of geniuses. Itachi was almost smiling as he helped his younger brother with his homework. Sasuke was grinning from ear to ear. He could tell that his brother was relaxed. It was about time, even if he wasn't smiling and laughing like he used to. For now, it was enough.

"Thanks for helping me, Itachi," Sasuke grinned.

"You know you can come to me…even if it's about little dust bunnies under your bed," Itachi smirked. Sasuke blinked.

"Were you trying to be funny?"

"What? You don't remember?" his smirk grew wider. "You used to come into my room when you were… seven? Eight? And you used to say, 'aniki, the dust bunnies are gonna eat me!'"

"I so did not do that!" Sasuke said, turning red as Itachi chuckled and walked down the hall. "Right?" he added to himself as he closed his door.

* * *

"I still can't believe you're here, Deidara," Sasori said, helping the blonde lay out a mat next to his so he could sleep.

"Well believe it danna (1) , because if I keep my grades up and stay out of major trouble, they can't take me away from Konoha, yeah," Deidara grinned. Sasori raised an eyebrow.

"I believe that means you've stayed out of trouble in Iwagakure?" Sasori asked.

"Yeah, I only got into three street fights since you left- since you left!" Deidara grinned. "And it was all for self defense, yeah."

"I'm proud of you, Dei," Sasori smiled one of his rare smiles. "Only three fights since I left and all for self defense? That is a major improvement since when I was in Iwa(2)."

"Yeah, well, when you left I didn't really have the heart to fight anymore so I just stopped picking fights, I became a teacher's pet- except for my math teacher- and I just began to fit in…" Deidara trailed off.

"But?" Sasori prodded. "C'mon brat, you know I don't like to be kept waiting."

"Sorry, danna," Deidara said. "I'm tired, yeah." He faked a yawn but Sasori could tell he was faking.

"Alright then, let's go to bed. You have school tomorrow,"

"But so do you, danna, yeah,"

"You do realize you can't call me 'danna' at school, right?"

"But I did in Iwa, yeah,"

"But in Iwa I wasn't a student teacher,"

"I see your point, yeah…"

"You don't need to call me 'sensei' but just make sure you don't call me 'danna' at school- Principal Tsunade and not to mention all of the old people will throw a fit," Sasori paused. "And I'll probably be fired and never be able to get a teaching job again."

"Alright, danna…how about if we're not in class?"

"If only my friends are around," Sasori said.

"Who are your friends, yeah?"

"Kisame, he looks like a shark, Kakuzu, the money freak, Hidan, excessive cusser, Leader, but you'll probably never see him-"

"Why not, danna, yeah?"

"Because he never shows up, Konan, but she's the same as him, Uchiha, Itachi-"

"The guy who ran into me earlier at school, yeah?" Deidara accidentally said out loud.

"You already met him?"

"Yeah, he kinda scares me, danna. He had color changing eyes, yeah…"

"It happens when he's mad or frustrated, Dei," Sasori said. "And he was extremely frustrated today. He's been having family problems and then there's the homecoming dance-"

"He doesn't look like he needs help finding a date, yeah,"

"What is it with you and interrupting me tonight? Anyways, its not that he can't find a date, it's that he gets to many offers," Sasori said. "Understand?"

"Never heard of any guy having that problem, yeah…"

"Itachi's gay,"

"Never mind then, yeah," Deidara said. "Wait, does he get asked out from both genders, yeah?"

"I don't know, Deidara…and weren't you tired?" Sasori smirked. Deidara grumbled and turned his back to his danna.

"Hey, danna?"

"Hm?"

"Are you happy that I'm here?" Deidara asked quietly.

"I'm very happy that you're here, brat," Sasori said. Deidara smiled to himself but since Sasori was still looking at him, he saw it. "Goodnight, Deidara," he said, reaching to turn off the lamp.

"Goodnight, Sasori-danna," Deidara said, yawning for real this time. When Sasori was sure that Deidara was fully asleep, he turned the light on low and lifted Deidara's sleeves up. He almost cursed out loud when he saw what was under Deidara's long sleeved shirt.

The blonde's arms were covered in dark bruises that had been hit repeatedly. He lifted Deidara's part of the shirt that covered his stomach and had to bit his lip to keep from screaming in frustration. Embedded in Deidara's skin, with what Sasori was pretty sure the weapon was an alcohol bottle, was a long jagged cut that went from his shoulder all the way down to his hip. Gently, as not to hurt the blonde, he rolled him over. He lifted the shirt up so he could see the back. Scars from the whip that they had never managed to rid Deidara's father of were as clear as day.

"I never should have left…" Sasori whispered. "I'm so sorry, Deidara…" he put the shirt back down and put Deidara in the position that he had fallen asleep in.

"Sasori, why are you still up?" Granny Chiyo asked.

"Granny Chiyo…its worse then we thought…" Sasori whispered.

"It's not your fault Sasori. He's here now and that's what matters," Granny Chiyo said, moving to lay a comforting hand on her grandson's shoulder. "He will be alright now that he's with us. Now go to bed, you have to drive him to school tomorrow." Sasori nodded and lay down, letting his grandmother pull the covers over him.

"Goodnight…" Sasori whispered, watching as she pulled the covers up to Deidara's shoulders.

"Goodnight," she whispered back, turning off the light and closing the door behind her as she left. Sasori sighed and looked up at the ceiling. He doubted that he'd be getting any rest tonight.

* * *

"Sasori-danna, its time to get up!" Deidara said cheerfully, shaking the red headed student teacher.

"What is it, brat?" Sasori muttered.

"School time, danna! School time!" Deidara said, already changed into new clothes.

"Aw god," Sasori moaned, kicking the covers off of himself. "Didn't I used to be the one who woke you up and not vice versa?"

"Yep," Deidara nodded. "So you gonna get up or what? Granny Chiyo cooked pancakes!"

"Granny Chiyo always cooks pancakes when you're over for the first day, brat," Sasori reminded him.

"But she cooked chocolate chip pancakes!" Deidara grinned.

"You and you're chocolate infatuation," Sasori sighed. "Are you sure you aren't a woman?"

"Hey!" Deidara laughed and took the pillow from under Sasori's head and hit him with it. Sasori glared at him and Deidara gulped, still grinning sheepishly.

"Brat..."

"Yes, danna?"

"Run," Deidara gulped and took off, Sasori hot on his heels. Deidara was faster then he was running right now and he knew Sasori was too, but there was always time for play. Deidara put his hands on the couch that Kakuzu and Hidan were on and jumped over the couch and the two men on it.

"What are you, a fucking acrobat?!" Hidan cussed.

"Well I got him up, yeah," Deidara shrugged.

"Hn," Itachi grunted, his eyes looking at Deidara but his mind was elsewhere.

"Did you read that book?" Sasori asked.

"Can I give it back at lunch?" Itachi asked.

"You didn't get to it? That's not like you," Kisame noted.

"My vision got blurry so I slept it off," Itachi said. "Don't look at me like that he wouldn't be able to stop looking at Itachi with worry in his eyes. Itachi tore his eyes away from the blonde and looked at the floor instead.

"That's fine...you really should get your vision tested though," Sasori said. "Didn't you say that bad eye sight runs in your family?" Itachi grunted and Sasori took that as a yes. "I'll call your mother and tell her to make an appointment-"

"No!" Itachi almost yelled. "I mean..."

"If he doesn't want to get his god fucking eyes tested then don't-" Hidan began.

"Shut up and go fuck that stupid god you're always going on and on about," Kakuzu said, rolling his eyes.

"How dare you?! I am so sorry, Jashin-sama! He did not mean it!" Hidan said.

"You just had to get him started," Sasori frowned.

"Yes, yes I did," Kakuzu said.

"Fuck you," Kisame muttered.

"Boys, mind your manners," Chiyo said.

"Yes, granny Chiyo," they responded. Chiyo smiled in content as she placed pancakes in front of the boys.

"Am I the only one unaware about this gathering that was supposed to take place today?" Sasori asked.

"Yes," said everyone but Deidara.

"They all piled in here, yeah," Deidara said. "Granny Chiyo said to let 'em in so..."

"And you let the cannibal in here why?" Sasori asked.

"C...cannibal?" Deidara gulped.

"He's kidding," Itachi said.

"Come to think of it, where is Zetsu?" Kisame asked.

"Somewhere," Sasori shrugged.

"C...cannibal?" Deidara repeated.

"He's not really a cannibal as far as we know," Sasori shrugged. "But he did eat a lot of meat and asked Hidan if he could have the blood and meat of his corpses."

"C-corpses?" Deidara stuttered.

"He sacrifices them to some god," Kakuzu said.

"How dare you?! Jashin-sama (A/N: Spelling?) is not just 'some fuckin' god'! What the hell gives you the damn right-!" Hidan stopped when Chiyo hit his head with a spatula. Deidara snickered and Kisame out right laughed. Itachi sighed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Alright, you brats, get out," Sasori grunted. The boys shifted uncomfortably. Zetsu (who had somehow come just as they were leaving) was in the front because he was out for blood. Itachi was on Kisame's lap because there was no way in hell he was trusting Kakuzu not to jack his wallet or Hidan not to try and sacrifice him to Jashin-sama. Deidara was on Kakuzu's lap because he didn't want an earful of cussing and because he didn't have a wallet to steal.

Why were they sitting on each other's laps? Simply because it would have been to squished for the five of them to sit next to each other.

"Next time, you should also sit in the back danna, yeah," Deidara complained.

"Don't whine brat," Sasori said. "It's my car, remember?" Deidara grumbled to himself but didn't comment any more about the subject. "Remember Itachi, I'll be in room A4 for the first four periods and C28 for fifth and sixth. That goes for you too, brat."

"Why, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"Because the homecoming dance is coming up and Itachi is popular with the whole student body," Kisame grinned with shark like teeth at him. "And you probably will be too." Deidara gulped and backed up slightly. The bell rang and the boys groaned.

"Get to class. I'd better not catch you boys ditching," Sasori warned.

"Hey, I wouldn't ditch, yeah!"

"Why in mother fucking hell can't we ditch?!"

"Give me ten dollars and I'll stay in class without ditching,"

"..."

"What if Itachi needs to get out of class to escape his countless admirers?"

"He's got Deidara," Sasori said. "Don't blow anything up, brat."

"Whatever you say, danna," Deidara grinned cheekily. "Can't promise you anything though, yeah." Sasori rolled his eyes and began walking to the class he was teaching. The others except for Deidara and Itachi walked away to their classes.

"So where's out class, yeah?" Deidara asked. Itachi sighed. Scratch that 'long day' comment. This was going to go on forever!

* * *

Me: That was chapter number 2!

Itachi: Review... and tell us what you thought of it...

1) danna- master

2) Iwa- short for Iwagakure and I think that its easier to write and shorter to say.


	3. All In Turn, This Leads To That

Me: Geez, I haven't updated this in forever! Shame on me...

Itachi: She did mean to get this up sooner...

Deidara: But it didn't happen

Disclaimer: I no own. Do own the short story that's in there so please don't copy it for whatever reason unless you ask me and its a good reason...although i don't know why'd you want to, it's not that good a story...

Lyrics thanks to and I don't own the song. Plus, the words of the song are in no specific order

* * *

_"What if Itachi needs to get out of class to escape his countless admirers?"_

_"He's got Deidara," Sasori said. "Don't blow anything up, brat."_

_"Whatever you say, danna," Deidara grinned cheekily. "Can't promise you anything though, yeah." Sasori rolled his eyes and began walking to the class he was teaching. The others except for Deidara and Itachi walked away to their classes._

_"So where's out class, yeah?" Deidara asked. Itachi sighed. Scratch that 'long day' comment. This was going to go on forever!_

* * *

"'Blow things up'?" Itachi repeated.

"Yep," Deidara grinned cheekily. "So where's our class?"

"Our class is where our class is," Itachi grunted, beginning to walk in the direction of their class. "'Blow things up'?"

"Well, I just happen to be good with my hands and I was an angry child," Deidara sighed. "Nothing gets rid of your anger better than blowing something up... especially the science lab, yeah..." Itachi's eye twitched and then he heard the noise inside their classroom. He froze and Deidara stopped along next to him.

"What's up?" Deidara asked and then he heard it too.

"Where is he?!"

"He should be here by now!"

"What the hell...?" Deidara asked.

"Fangirls," Itachi muttered. "That's it, I'm ditching."

"Hey, what about me, yeah?!" Deidara demanded. "How am I supposed to find my classes, yeah?!"

"I'll pick you up after class," Itachi muttered. "Unless you wanna ditch with me." Deidara frowned.

"I'm tempted but I need the grades and Sasori-danna will be pissed with me if I skip my first class on my first day," he said. "Maybe during gym..." Itachi nodded and walked away, turning a corridor when he realized something. 'I just told him I'd pick him up...'

"At least he offered to get me after class...can't really call him an insensitive jerk like I want to..." Deidara muttered. He sighed and opened the door. Everyone looked at him, expecting him to be Itachi but they were only somewhat disappointed. Deidara shifted uncomfortably as the gazes of even the teacher settled upon him.

"Well hello, young lady-" the teacher with a bandanna on his head said.

"I am a boy," Deidara said automatically. "Deidara...?"

"Oh, yes. The new transfer student from Iwagakure. I am Ebisu-sensei. You haven't by chance seen Uchiha, Itachi, have you?"

"Who?" Deidara asked, like it was natural to not know the Uchiha even though he did.

"Never mind...you'll take the seat next to him...if he was here but he isn't," Deidara sighed and sat down. Stupid Itachi. Leaving him alone in the center of the class with all these stupid people staring at him. He sighed and took out a notebook he had brought. If Itachi wanted notes, he would have to copy them himself...right?

Deidara stared at the papers on his desk in frustration as the bell rang. He had told himself that he would only take one pair for himself and if Itachi wanted the notes, he'd have to copy them himself. So why the hell did he have two pairs of note sets?! He sighed a slient 'oh well, what's done is done,' in his head and packed one set of notes neatly into the notebook pocket, the other in his hand.

"Hey," Itachi nodded at him when he came out first.

"Here," Deidara grumbled. Itachi looked at them, surprised.

"What are these?" Itachi asked, leafing through the pages.

"Notes," he grumbled. "We had extra time and I was bored so I accidentally made another set. Keep them." Itachi rose an eyebrow. He didn't feel like starting a fight by saying he didn't need the notes so he kept that part in his mind.

"Thankyou..." Itachi said, although it was a distant kind of thankyou.

"So what's our-"

"Oh, Itachi!" the fan girls squealed. One girl in particular, with obnoxiously pink hair and purple eyes grabbed onto his arm. Itachi glared at her and tried to remove it but she held on tighter. Deidara's hands clenched into fists, for reasons he didn't know why but one thing was for sure; he was getting possessive.

"Let go, Haruno," Itachi said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, Itachi! You know me better then that- call me Himiko!" she giggled. Deidara's eye began to twitch. "So, the homecoming dance. You and me? We'd look adorable standing with Sakura and Sasuke." Itachi rolled his eyes. Like he would ever agree to go with this crazy Haruno- not to mention the fact that he was gay. He then caught Deidara staring at him and smirked. A plan was beginning to form in his mind.

"I'm sorry Haruno, but I already told Deidara here that I'd go with him," Itachi said. Deidara stared at him. What the hell? No he hadn't!

"But in class he said he didn't know you," Himiko said suspiciously.

"He was tired this morning when we met and agreed to go together," Itachi said smoothly. "You know, the time difference from Iwagakure. You do remember that we agreed to go together, don't you, Deidara?"

"Yeah, I do," Deidara said, lying through his teeth. "Now if you excuse us, Ms. Haruno, Itachi and I have a class together." He removed Himiko's arm from Itachi's and pulled the raven haired bastard with him. When they turned the hall, out of everyone's sight, Deidara pushed Itachi against the wall.

"What the hell was that back there, yeah?" Deidara demanded.

"That was me asking you to the dance in the form of telling everyone I'm going with you so I don't get anymore offers and so you don't either," Itachi growled.

"And what if I wanted to get other offers, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"In this school? Maybe in Iwa but in Konoha, sweetheart, the only other offers are so they can get into your pants," Itachi said harshly.

"And you? What's your reason for asking me?" Deidara asked. "I'm sure Kisame would agree just for laughs or Sasori if you gaze him a good enough reason-" Itachi silenced him by flipping their positions.

"Are you saying yes or are you saying no?"Itachi asked.

"W-wait, you're asking me out now, yeah?" Deidara breathed.

"I said, 'that was me asking you to the dance-'," Itachi began.

"'In the form of telling everyone I'm going with you'..." Deidara finished. "Is that how you ask people to do something? You tell others that-"

"Look, I admit, that was stupid but if I didn't, we'd still be standing there-"

"Yes! Yes already!" Deidara sighed. Itachi also sighed but for a different reason.

"In Iwa, the dances were out of control, weren't they?"

"I guess you would call it that," Deidara nodded slowly. "Yeah, why?"

"Afterschool, I'll meet you at Sasori's house," Itachi said. "C'mon, this is one class you don't need to ditch..." And Deidara found out why quickly. When he and Itachi walked into the classroom, there was no teacher, and all of the students were in their own corners or spaces of the room.

"Why...?"

"The teacher is Hatake Kakashi," Itachi said. "He almost never shows up and if he does, he just lets us do what ever we want and blow on all the instruments. That's why he became a music teacher- so he could slack off and he still gets the pay."

"Well that's stupid," Deidara snorted. "Where do you usually go to in this band of misfits and juvenille delinquits?" Itachi motioned for him to follow as he climbed up the different spread out levels and plopped down next to Kisame and Kakuzu.

"I was wondering if you bums were ever gonna show up," Kakuzu said.

"Who're you calling a bum?" Deidara demanded. "I work, yeah."

"But you're living with Sasori," Kakuzu responded. Deidara flushed and opened his mouth to respond but Itachi beat him to the punch.

"Back off, Kakuzu," Itachi said. Kisame and Kakuzu exchanged glances before staring at the Uchiha.

"Did you just...?" Kakuzu began.

"Defend someone?" Kisame finished since Kakuzu seemed to busy stuttering to finish his sentence. Itachi rose an eyebrow and Deidara shot a curious glance at him. Why would the pretty boy defend him?

"I did now close your mouths," Itachi frowned. "He did something for me and-"

"Itachi!" the sing song voice Deidara was learning to hate came closer.

"Himiko," Itachi grumbled. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

"I should be...but I'd much rather be here with you,"

"Joy," Itachi said sarcastically.

"Glad you think so," Himiko said, either not picking up on the sarcasm or to dumb to notice. "So, when are you picking me up?"

"Excuse me?" Itachi asked. "Picking you up for what?" Himiko giggled.

"Oh, you're playing coy. How cute is that?" she smiled. "For the homecoming of course!"

"I already told you, I'm going with Deidara," Itachi said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, come on, Itachi," Himiko rolled her eyes. "Your father would want us to go together- not to mention you want to, too." Deidara's hands began to form fists as Himiko fluttered her eye lashes and took a step closer to Itachi, once again taking his arm before Itachi could pull away.

"Let go of me, Haruno," Itachi threatened, his eyes bleeding red. Himiko gulped a little but didn't relinquish her hold on Itachi's arm. That is; until Deidara grabbed her hand and forced her away from Itachi in one easy movement. Kakuzu and Kisame looked on at the scene that was displayed before them in surprise.

"He's going with me, Haruno," Deidara said. "And besides, the only reason he'd want to go with a tramp like you, is if his brother's life depended on it."

"Oh please," Himiko sneered. "I love Itachi and he loves me, even if he hasn't realized it. What could you possibly do to change that?" Deidara smirked.

"You really wanna know?" Deidara asked.

"Bring it," she said.

"I hope I'm not going to be sorry for this, Uchiha," Deidara said. He grabbed teh black shirt that covered Itachi's chest and used it as leverage to pull him closer. Itachi was given no time to recover because Deidara easily met the slightly taller male's lips with his own.

The kiss was only intended to be simple but as the second hand ticked on the clock, the electricity became painfully obvious to both of them. Painful because both knew that now, there was no denying to themselves that they were attracted- physically if not mentally- to the other. Obvious because of the obvious attraction that they held for the other.

When they parted, they stared at each other- stunned- for several seconds before Deidara looked over his shoulder to talk to Himiko, the smirk back on his face.

"You may have deluded yourself into thinking that you love him and that he's the only one for you..." Deidara said. "But as far as I can tell, he and I don't love each other- this is all lust and look how much stronger it is then his so called love with you. Lust, one of the seven sins, purer then love." He laughed and grabbed his notebook before turning to walk out of the classroom and flipped his hair over his shoulder before disappearing from everyone's sight.

_Girl I can notice but to, notice you, noticing me, from across the room I can see it and can't stop myself from looking and noticing you, noticing me,  
Watch out I've seen her type before  
That girl is so DANGEROUS,  
That girl is so DANGEROUS,  
That girl is a bad girl, I've seen her type before _

"Urgh!" Himiko threw her hands up in frustration as she stormed out of the classroom. Itachi blinked several times before he sat down slowly.

_She give a new definition to the word Curve, got chicks in the strip club envy her.  
Body's like weapon, a mass irruptions, see the glad on that phat obstruction, tongue game give a new type of seduction_

"Uh, Itachi...? You okay?" Kisame asked.

"Ten bucks said he liked it," Kakuzu said.

"Would you stop trying to make money for once, Kakuzu?" Kisame asked, frowning in disapproval. "The boy's in obvious...um, distress?" Kakuzu rolled his eyes. Man the guy had the brains of fish for looking so much like a shark...

"You idiot..." Kakuzu muttered.

"You idiot," Sasori said when Deidara told him what had taken place. Deidara sighed. One of the things he hadn't missed was the vocabulary Sasori used after being told something like 'I got into a fight' or 'I just kissed Itachi for some reason I don't know why!' Why? It was simple. When Sasori was in some shock, he resorted to the common kid language such as 'stupid' and 'idiot.'

"I know, yeah,"

"You just had to resort to your rebellious delinquincy, didn't you?"

"Yeah,"

"You just had to kiss him in front of the gossip queen of the entire school?"

"Yeah,"

"You wanted to kiss him?"

"I was hoping he'd be good, yeah,"

"So was he good?"

"Better then anyone I'd ever kissed, yeah,"

"So you love him?"

"More like lust, right now, yeah,"

"'Right now'?"

"Yeah, right now- oh shit, yeah," Deidara moaned. He blushed when he realized what he had just said to his best friend. "I didn't just say that, did I?"

"You did,"

"Crap," Deidara muttered. Sasori chuckled and the blush staining Deidara's cheeks darkened. He glared at his best friend as he ruffled the hair not ensnared within his ponytail.

"So what's your next move?" Sasori asked, Deidara looked up, surprised. "Oh, come on Dei, don't tell me you were planning on kissing him and then dong nothing about it later." He picked up his coffee and took a sip.

"Um...does homecoming sound good yeah?" Unfortunately, Sasori had taken that moment to take a rather large portion of the coffee and spit it out, coughing.

"Wh-what?"

"Yeah, he asked me to homecoming, yeah," Deidara said. Sasori sighed and shook his head. Things would defiently get more heated and out of control with his blonde friend around.

* * *

"So, what was it like?" Kisame asked.

"You saw it. You tell me," Itachi grumbled.

"Well you two both looked like you were in shock," Kisame said. "Was he any good?"

"He's probably better then you on his worst day, Kisame," Kakuzu rolled his eyes. Who was the one who told who not to invade the boy's privacy because he looked distressed again?

"I resent that," Kisame frowned. "And how would you know?" Kakuzu snorted like it was writing your name on a quiz easy.

* * *

"So you do know Konoha dances aren't like Iwa's crazy and wild ones, right?" Sasori asked.

"Nope, yeah," Deidara said simply.

"You're contradicting yourself,"

"No I'm not, yeah," Sasori sighed. He'd best give up on the particular subject for conversation.

"Anyways, you do know how to ballroom dance, right?"

"Say what, yeah?"

"Ballroom dance, Deidara. You know, the waltz, the fox trot...?" actually, he was just getting those off the top of his head.

"You're joking, yeah?"

"Nope,"

"Please tell me you're joking,"

"I don't joke, Deidara,"

"Oh god..."

"Mm-hm,"

"I can't ballroom dance!"

"That's why you're going to my house so I can teach you..."

"Oh...I knew that..."

* * *

"C'mon, Itachi! Tell us!" Kisame urged but the Uchiha had tuned them out, taking out 'It Takes Two To Tango' by Hyuuga, Hinata.

_When the wiseman starts the clock, the couple know its time to run. When the couple starts running, the lovers start dancing. When the lovers start dancing, no one knows how to react. Their love was a forbidden one. An aristocrat and a pauper, like so many other stories. What makes this one different? _

_"Ms. Julianna!" her nursemaid called. "He is here! He is here!" Julianna looked up, her eyes dulled when she realized that the "he" her nursemaid was talking about was a man that her parents wanted her to marry- one of her many suitors._

_"I'll be right down," she lied. Instead, she climbed out the window with grace and practiced ease. Her dress didn't tear like the first time she had come down. She giggled at the memory. Her parents wanted her to meet that man for the first time but instead she had fled out her window and had met Zacheriah. He was a gypsy according to popular belief. He traveled with his mother._

_"Zacheriah!" she called out. The dark skinned, black haired enigma turned to her with the same smile that always made her heart stop._

_"Julianna, you're here," he shook his head. "And here I was just telling my mother that you had seen common sense and stuck with that man...what was his name again?"_

_"I told you, boy! I told you she'd be back," his mother shook her head. "I don't know why you're still trying to bet against me after all these years. I told him, Julianna, I told him you'd be back for him again."_

_"Well you told him right," Julianna smiled. "Take me somewhere, Zacheriah?" Zacheriah sighed, hoping that she would see sense and leave him. He nodded, unable to refuse any of her requests._

_He took her by the hand and led her to the fountain. By the time that they had gotten to the fountain from the long walk in the meadow, it was nightfall. He watched amused as she twirled by herself, laughing and giggling all the way. She took his hands and urged him to dance with her. He opened his mouth to speak but she put a finger on his mouth._

_"Just dance with me," she said, knowing he'd give her the sorry excuse that he couldn't dance. It was a false excuse. When he had met her, he had told her he could dance very well- which he could. But he wanted her to have the best life possible and he feared that it wasn't with him._

_'I wish I could stay with her/him forever,' they both thought but their time together was interupted by one of the many things keeping them apart._

_"Julianna! You allow yourself to still mingle with this son of a gypsy?!" her father shouted, unable to see past the social standings that had been taught to him as a child. "See sense, child, I beg of you! Your life is not your own to live- come back and live or stay and face death!" _

_"Run! Run away with me!" Julianna cried to Zacheriah. He nodded, for once, unable to push her back into her comfortable lifestyle of the rich and famous. He took her by the hand and ran. When they stopped on the outskirts of town after gathering Zacheriah's mother, Julianna finally managed to convince that she wanted the life he lived. They were married in a small church, nothing fancy or big, even small would be an overstatement as the priest and Zacheriah's mother as the only witnesses to their marriage._

_Julianna and Zacheriah did return to the village one day, three years after, to be exact. Julianna was pregnant with their second child. Her father never gave them his blessing but her mother did, silently in her heart. She dared not speak against her husband but told Julianna as the small family was about to leave for travel again. Julianna was able to leave with a smile that one of her parents could look past the social status of her gypsy husband and grant her and her family a happy life_.

'That father of Julianna's...oddly takes after my father...' Itachi thought. 'But my mother...my mother has spoken out against my father and would not be scared to leave him but that was because it was an arranged marriage...'

"Itachi, you in there?" Kisame asked. "The bell rang already." Itachi nodded and stood up, sighing all the while.

* * *

"So, you do realize you and Itachi are officailly going out now, right?" Sasori asked sarcastically, meaning it as a joke.

"WHAT?!" Deidara shouted so loud that Sasori jumped and spilled his coffee.

"Dammit, Deidara! I was joking!"

"You don't joke about things like that, Sasori-danna!"

"Well I just did!"

"Well you shouldn't!"

"Well why not?!"

"Because...it makes me shout and in turn makes you spill your coffee...yeah..."

"Hmph," Sasori grumbled. "You are so lucky its my prep period- now go to class, brat!"

* * *

"Oh great, P.E.'s next," Itachi moaned. "I'm ditching..."

"Well we won't see him for the rest of the day," Kisame commented.

"You wanna bet?" Kakuzu asked.

"Would you quit trying to make money on Itachi's expense?"

"No, he makes me rich,"

"You already are rich!" Kisame moaned. "Fine, I'll play along. I bet five bucks."

"Fine. We'll see him at Sasori's house this afternoon afterschool. Now pay up,"

"I ain't paying nothing until we get there," Kisame said. "On second thought, I'll ditch too..."

"They ain't paying me to stay in class..."

* * *

Me: And that's it!

Itachi: Featured in the next chapter: The Konoha dance lessons

Deidara: What did Sasori mean by that?! He was joking, right?!

Me: Eh heh, find out in the next chapter!


	4. A Little Piece Of Konoha Dance Lessons

Me: Chapter 4, here at long last... Oh, and Kisame and Itachi are NOT a couple. Kisame is just like an over protective big brother! This is a DeidaraxItachi. (I am putting this up because it kinda seems likes KisamexItachi)

Deidara: Please R&R and answer the request she has put at the bottom, yeah!

Disclaimer: I no own characters and I no own song.

* * *

_"You already are rich!" Kisame moaned. "Fine, I'll play along. I bet five bucks."_

_"Fine. We'll see him at Sasori's house this afternoon after school. Now pay up,"_

_"I ain't paying anything until we get there," Kisame said. "On second thought, I'll ditch too..."_

_"They ain't paying me to stay in class..."_

* * *

"P.E….I'm so ditching," Deidara said when he was out of Sasori's classroom. He sighed and walked aimlessly amongst the students trying to get to class. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and went outside the school doors. The sun felt good to him but it felt like it wasn't there. He sighed and allowed a song to come out of his mouth.

_"Everywhere the sun is shining.  
All around the world it's shining.  
But cold winds blow across your mind.  
Confusion--it's such a terrible shame.  
Confusion--you don't know what you're sayin'.  
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on.  
You feel there's no-one there for you to lean on."_

Itachi heard the voice and paused to listen to it. It was very good and it sounded familiar. He knew the song, surprisingly. He turned the corner and saw Deidara, leaning against his favorite tree. He sighed and walked over to sit next to Deidara. Deidara looked up at him.

"Can I join you?" he asked. Deidara nodded and scooted over so Itachi could have room to sit.

"You know ELO, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"Yeah…" Itachi said. "The song you were singing just now-"

"Hold up, yeah. You heard me singing?" Deidara demanded.

"You're good," Itachi said.

"You know it? Confusion?"

"Yeah,"

"Then sing with me," Deidara ordered and let Itachi stare at him before starting up again.

_"Every night you're out there darlin'.  
You're always out there runnin'.  
And I see that lost look in your eyes.  
Confusion, I don't know what I should do.  
Confusion, I leave it all up to you.  
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on.  
You feel there's no-one there for you to lean on."_

"You're bold," Itachi said. "Singing with no care who listens to you…"

"I'm an artist," Deidara shrugged. "I don't care if I'm a bad singer, yeah."

"Are all artists like this?" Itachi asked.

"Like what?"

"Don't give a damn about what others think,"

"I guess…Sasori's really the only other artist I know who would talk to me," Deidara shrugged. "You know, it's not really fair if you get to hear me sing but I don't get to hear you, yeah."

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Say 'yeah' at the end of your sentences?"

"Do I?" Deidara asked, not looking at Itachi now. "C'mon, sing with me." Itachi sighed and reluctantly sang quietly but Deidara could still hear it. He let himself smile and sang along with the enigma.

_"Dark is the road you wander.  
And as you stand there under.  
The starry sky, you feel sad inside.  
Confusion, you know it's drivin' me wild.  
Confusion, it comes as no big surprise.  
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on.  
You feel there's no-one there for you to lean on."_

"Good song, yeah?" Deidara yawned, leaning on Itachi's shoulder.

"Yeah, it is," Itachi said. "You going to sleep?"

"I guess…" Deidara yawned. Itachi didn't move as the blonde snuggled closer to him to sleep. Instead, he took out a book and began reading as Deidara fell asleep. He couldn't concentrate on the book for very long when he saw Deidara's sleeping face. He set the book down; looking unashamed at Deidara's sleeping face. He fell asleep to, his head atop of Deidara's.

* * *

"Well would you look at that?" Sasori looked up to where Kisame was looking.

"Is that Itachi…and Deidara?" he asked.

"Yep," Kisame nodded.

"Never thought I'd see this day," Sasori sighed.

"Should we wake them up?" Kisame asked.

"Let's go over to them and just sit. If they wake up, then they wake up," Sasori shrugged. Kakuzu sighed and walked with them.

"Where are Hidan and Zetsu?" Kisame asked.

"Zetsu is in the garden trying to freak people out and Hidan is getting his lunch and cussing the lunch people out…" Kakuzu said, bored. Sasori sighed and sat on Deidara's left side. Kisame sat near Itachi and Kakuzu sat facing them, waiting for Hidan to come and take the spot on his right side and if Zetsu came, Zetsu would take the left.

"So what exactly is going on about their homecoming date?" Kisame asked.

"Well, we're going to teach Deidara how to ballroom dance," Sasori winced. Kakuzu saw it.

"Bad memories?"

"He can do just about anything but if its slow and he finds it boring…well, you can forget it…" Sasori sighed. "He's impossible to work with then."

"Well, I'm sure Itachi will grab his attention," Kisame said. "And besides, doesn't how good the lead is usually mean how the dancing will go?"

"Yes," Sasori nodded. "So it's a good thing Itachi excels in everything enough to keep Deidara's attention focused on him."

"Looks included?" Kakuzu snorted.

"You mother fucking asshole!" Hidan shouted. "You were supposed to come get me! Where the hell were you?!"

"Oh god, Hidan…shut up!" Itachi groaned.

"Nng, shut up Itachi…" Deidara said. "Wait what time is it?!"

"Lunch time," Sasori said.

"Crap, I missed fourth!" Deidara cursed.

"I'll write you a pass," Sasori sighed. "I'll just make up some excuse that you were overwhelmed on your first day of high school so I had you help me around the school." Deidara nodded and leaned heavily on Itachi again.

"Look at the lovey dovey couple," Hidan smirked. Itachi and Deidara looked at each other, blushing before pushing each other away.

"You just had to say something," Kakuzu muttered under his breath.

"You say something, asshole?"

"Nothing, Hidan," Kakuzu sighed.

"I forgot my lunch..." Itachi said dryly.

"You never eat to forget," Sasori rolled his eyes.

"Hn," Itachi said. Kisame sighed and handed him his lunch box. Itachi never ate much. He usually just ate the dango, a little piece of the teriyaki chicken (it was cold) and about one fourth of the rice.

"Skinny twig," Kisame grumbled when Itachi handed it back to him after eating the dango, a little more then one fourth of the rice, and one teriyaki chicken.

"Don't call me that," Itachi frowned.

"Let's not push our luck," Sasori smirked. "We're lucky we even got him to eat."

"You anorexic or something, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"No," Itachi said.

"He just doesn't like eating around other people," Sasori said.

"Odd, aren't ya, yeah?" Deidara said. Itachi glared at him, his eyes mixing with red before they began to mix and Itachi blinked and held his head in his hands.

"You okay, Itachi?" Kisame asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Itachi lied. He looked up and saw three of everything. He closed his eyes and leaned against the tree. Kisame and Sasori exchanged worried glances. There was something wrong with the boy's eye sight and they both knew it.

"You know Itachi," Sasori cleared his throat. "It's not so bad to go to an eye doctor." Itachi opened his eyes and glared at Sasori, his eyes now in focus again.

"I told you, I'm fine," he hissed. Deidara frowned but didn't comment. Instead he sighed and decided to change the subject.

"What do you people mean that Iwagakure's dances are different from Konoha's?" he asked. Kakuzu snorted, turning away as the water threatened to fall out of his mouth.

"You mean you don't know what the fuck a Konoha dance is fucking like? What the hell did they do in your damn place?" Hidan asked.

"The same thing they do in clubs here, Hidan," Sasori said. "We should probably start teaching you how to dance Konoha style, Dei."

"Well if I have to dance some ballroom thing then you guys have to dance Iwa style!" Deidara declared. Sasori rolled his eyes. Itachi stared at him weirdly. Hidan let a string of curses about nothing in particular come out of his mouth. And Kakuzu was like this...

"Clubs cost money," that's what he was like...obviously.

"You fuckin' cheapsake," Hidan declared. "It won't hurt you to get your ass drunk for a fuckin' night."

"It is Friday, Sasori-danna," Deidara said. "No school..." Sasori considered it.

"Your studies..."

"Can wait until Sunday, Saturday, or I can do them tonight," Deidara promised. "C'mon, you already know I'm not going back to that hell hole. The only thing worth staying there for would be the clubs and you if you were still there, yeah."

"Hey, Itachi, your man's hitting on-"

"Shut up, Kisame," Itachi rolled his eyes. "He is not my man."

"You only wish it'd be so true," Deidara rolled his eyes.

"What'd you say?!"

"I don't believe I stuttered, yeah!"

"We'll go!" Sasori shouted. "We'll go on Saturday, just stop bickering. I swear, you two sound like an old married couple!"

"I've never seen Sasori at a club..." Kisame said.

"Seriously? Danna, you've never danced for them, yeah?" Deidara grinned. "Damn, danna was no slouch when it came to dancing, yeah."

"You mean being a damn slut?" Hidan asked.

"No, I mean dancing, yeah," Deidara said. "So save a dance for me, promise, danna?"

"Deidara, the chances I dance with anyone else but you are very, very slim," Sasori said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kakuzu asked.

"Well, back in Iwa, I was one of the only few who could get him to dance," Dediara said. "Danna...didn't like to draw attention to himself, yeah."

"And dancing with a blonde didn't do just that," Itachi rolled his eyes.

"Oh can it, Itachi," Deidara said. "After all, I gotta deal with you and your ass and ballroom dancing."

"Brat," Itachi growled.

"I believe that's my line, Itachi," Sasori said.

"Got any better come backs? Danna's taken that one, yeah," Deidara said, lazily running his hand through his hair.

"Why do you keep calling Sasori danna?" Kisame asked.

"Old habit," Sasori rolled his eyes. "One he really needs to get rid of before I lose my job."

"Like they could fire you with Itachi around," Kisame rolled his eyes.

"Are you saying my future as a teacher is secure only if Itachi remains at this school?"

"What? No, I didn't say that!"

"You infered it,"

"I didn't mean that, Sasori!" Kisame said.

"You odd man who looks like a shark and yet won't eat a pound of fish, he's just joking around with you," Itachi rolled his eyes and then the bell rang.

"Get to class and no more ditching, Deidara," Sasori said.

"Yes, Sasori-danna," Deidara said.

"And quit calling me that!"

"Yes, Sasori-danna," Deidara said...again. Sasori smacked his head.

"Let's go. You know I don't like to be kept waiting," Sasori said, beginning to walk.

"For someone who says he doesn't like to be kept waiting, he sure has a lot of patience, yeah," Deidara said. Itachi sighed and nodded, standing up. He walked quietly in one direction, Deidara silently following him. Having all six classes together was going to prove a curse someday... he just knew it and he was sure Itachi did too.

* * *

"Sit in the back, danna!" Deidara complained. "It gets to squished back here, yeah!" Sasori looked and sighed. He was right.

"Fine. Kakuzu, drive," Sasori said. He moved to sit in the back. "How are we going to do this?" Kisame shrugged and Hidan quickly claimed the seat in the front.

"We can either squish or someone has to sit on someone's lap," Itachi announced. There was momentary silence.

"Itachi, sit on Kisame's," Sasori sighed. "You way next to nothing-"

"Kisame has an injured leg," Itachi reminded him. Sasori nodded.

"Then Deidara, Itachi," Sasori shrugged. Deidara glared at his danna but didn't argue. He knew when he had lost an arguement to his danna and this was one of those times. Itachi sat in the car and Deidara sat on his lap, a pout on his face.

"Don't pout, Dei," Sasori admonished him. The pout left Deidara's face as he settled into Itachi's chest and laid his head on his shoulder. Itachi rose his eyebrow; the blonde certainly didn't hold back for anyone.

"This sucks, yeah," Deidara whispered to Itachi.

"Don't complain...you'll only make it worse," Itachi advised. When they piled out of the car, Deidara didn't want to remove himself from Itachi's lap but he forced himself too. Unfortunately for Deidara, Itachi noticed the hesitation but didn't comment on it.

"Welcome home, Sasori, Deidara. Everyone's here, aren't they? Who's missing?" Granny Chiyo asked.

"Zetsu, Konan and Leader," Kisame said.

"Granny, where did you put those old ballroom CD's?" Sasori asked, leafing through a stack of CD's.

"They're in that cupboard under the television. Why the sudden interest?" Granny Chiyo asked.

"Deidara doesn't know how to ballroom," Itachi said. Deidara flushed and looked away from the Uchiha, instead, collapsing on the couch. Sasori put in the CD and Deidara stared at him.

"You expect me to dance to that?" Deidara asked.

"Itachi will lead you," Sasori responded. "Just follow his lead."

"Lead?" Deidara gulped. Itachi sighed and pulled the blonde off the couch and into his arms. He held Deidara's left hand with his right and put the blonde's right hand on his chest, holding the other's waist.

"You're joking...right?" Deidara said. "Someone tell me you're joking..." Itachi sighed and took a step forward, Deidara taking a surprised step backwards.

"You follow, I lead," Itachi said. He stepped forward twice, Deidara stepping backwards.

"See? You're getting it, Dei," Sasori complimented. "Take him a little faster, Itachi." Itachi obliged, and instead of the straight line they had been going in, he began to spin their motions.

"Very elegant, Deidara," Granny Chiyo said. "How is it?"

"Very, very odd," Deidara gulped. Itachi sighed again.

"Sasori, you teach him," Itachi said suddenly. "We won't get anywhere if he's stiff and nervous with me the whole time." Sasori sighed and nodded when he saw Itachi's point.

"Isn't the lead supposed to be taller?" Kisame asked, snickering.

"Don't make him nervous, Kisame," Itachi grunted.

"You alright?" Sasori asked quietly as he helped settle Deidara in the correct position.

"Yeah," Deidara nodded. Sasori nodded back and began leading. Itachi sighed and plopped down on the couch, his head on Kisame's lap.

"You okay?" Kisame asked. "The last time you did this was almost two years ago."

"Tired," Itachi muttered.

"Then sleep," Kisame said.

"Can't... gotta get home..." Itachi yawned. "Father will be..."

"I'll call him and tell him that you're staying at my house for the night," Sasori said, still leading Deidara gracefully. "We'll just go to your house and pick up your things."

"Sasuke..."

"Can stay at a friend's house, can't he?" Kisame asked.

"But mom'll be alone..." Itachi said. "She'll get..."

"We'll drop you off around night time, that way, your dad hopefully won't have time to get to you or your brother and we'll pick you up around midday," Sasori said. Itachi nodded at that.

"'Same?" Itachi asked sleepily.

"Yeah?"

"Wake me up later," Itachi said, closing his eyes.

"Can I put him in your bed, Sasori?" Kisame asked.

"Go ahead," Sasori said. Kisame lifted the teenager up and climbed the stairs.

"What was all that about?" Deidara asked.

"I gotta fuckin' get home before my mom throws a damn fit," Hidan sighed. "Kakuzu, get your ass up."

"That's not nice," Kakuzu said lazily but obliged to his wishes anyways. He let Hidan drag him out. "Bye Granny Chiyo."

"Bye," Hidan said.

"Come back soon, boys," Granny Chiyo said.

"Sit down, Dei," Sasori said.

"So what's up with the guy?" Deidara asked. "And his eyes? Why do they turn red?"

"Okay, I guess I'll start wit his eyes," Sasori sighed. "When he was born, his father noticed the red leaking into the black and thought it was just a trick of the light. But Itachi matured very quickly for a boy. He understood when he was being treated like a child and he understood that his father beated him because he wanted to, not because he was being a...a 'bad boy' like parents tell their kids-"

"Hold up, his father still beats him?" Deidara asked. "What about his little brother?"

"If Itachi isn't there, he beats him. He hasn't laid a hand on their mother. She had no idea about her sons' situations. She thinks they just get into street fights," Sasori said. "She's a good woman, really. It's Itachi and Sasuke's wish that she remains none the wiser and think that they have a happy little family." Deidara nodded.

"So what about his eyes?" Deidara asked.

"Well, when Itachi started to get mad- and it still happens, as you know- his eyes turned red. His father angered him so often that he found out that it couldn't be a trick of the light," Sasori said. "He allowed an experiment to be conducted in secret on Itachi. There's no guarantee that that experiment messed with his eyes or whether it was that...that mutation in his eyes but something is wrong with his eyes."

"He's asleep," Kisame announced. "Did you tell him?"

"Yeah. Dei, don't mention this to him. He doesn't like broadcasting things," Sasori said. Deidara nodded, unsure of what else to say.

* * *

Me: And that maybe the reason Itachi can't see well! I have...two requests for you readers!

Itachi: Featured in the next chapter: A warning from Itachi's father and Iwagakure style dance lessons... great, what could go wrong?

**Request number 1) Can someone tell me Itachi's parents' names?**

**Request number 2) Please review, even if it is just to tell me Itachi's parents' names cause I'm not totally positive if I'd get the names right on my own.**


	5. Don't Bet Against Kakuzu

Me: Special thanks to all my reviewers and very special thanks to Riazukaji, kitsune-no-yomeiri, and Pocket Rainbow for telling me Itachi's parents' names!

Disclaimer: I no own characters and I no own the songs

Itachi: Read and review.

* * *

_"He's asleep," Kisame announced. "Did you tell him?"_

_"Yeah. Dei, don't mention this to him. He doesn't like broadcasting things," Sasori said. Deidara nodded, unsure of what else to say._

* * *

Itachi awoke and his vision fell into focus. He groaned and looked around. It quickly appealed to him that this was Sasori's room. He had spent enough time with Sasori and sleeping over since he lived the closest to know his room.

"You're awake, yeah," Deidara said. "Danna sent me to check up on you, yeah."

"What...what time is it?" Itachi asked, sitting up.

"Around eight, yeah," Deidara said. "You missed dinner so Sasori-Danna told me to bring this up to you. It's like he knew you'd be awake, yeah..."

"He's like that," Itachi responded.

"I know, yeah," Deidara said. "How are ya feeling, yeah?"

"Like everyone feels after they just woke up," Itachi said as Deidara laid the tray of food in front of him.

"You want me to leave, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"No, its fine..."

"But you're not eating, yeah,"

"Why do you care about whether I eat or not?"

"So you don't become anorexic, yeah," Deidara said. "Don't make me feed you myself, yeah." Itachi glared at him and picked up the chopsticks, gingerly scooping rice into his mouth.

* * *

"You think they're going to be okay alone?" Kisame asked.

"Deidara's not as bad with one person as he is with a group. I regret letting you talk me into going to a club... Which one are we going to, by the way?" Sasori asked.

"Probably Masked Affinity..." Kisame said. "It is Itachi's favorite and he'll need some cheering up if the rest of the day is at his house goes as what normally happens."

"I'm surprised that he even has a favorite club," Sasori grumbled.

"Well, he doesn't seem like a party person on the surface but he's like any other teenager wanting to have a good time and forget all their worries," Kisame said.

"Don't go singing hakuna matata again,"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Do I even need to explain?" Sasori sighed and shook his head. "Isn't there illegal activity going on at Masked Affinity lately?"

"Yeah, street racing but so far they're pretty good at getting everyone evacuated before that," Kisame responded. "If you don't want to watch or participate in the street racing, we can leave before two-thirty (2:30)."

"It's not me I'm worried about. It's Deidara," Sasori said. "I don't want him to get drawn back into his old habits." Kisame whistled.

"How bad was this kid?" he asked.

"Worse then you when it came to getting into fights. He literally searched for them," Sasori sighed.

"That bad huh?" Kisame said. "Well, we'll just have someone stay with him all the time. We could probably get Konan and Leader to come."

"I'd rather Deidara not get on anyone's bad side...He said he knows how to keep himself out of trouble..." Sasori said. "Deidara, are you doing your homework?"

"Yes, danna!" Deidara called from upstairs.

* * *

"You're... unexpectedly diligent," Itachi noted as Deidara did his homework next to him on Sasori's bed.

"Mmm...thanks, I think, yeah," Deidara said.

"You did that problem wrong," Itachi commented.

'Are you just trying to get out of eating?" Deidara asked, glancing over the problem.

"Not that one, the one you did before that," Itachi said. "You didn't subtract, you added."

"Oh, thanks yeah," Deidara said.

* * *

"I haven't seen Itachi so...lively since he was twelve," Kisame commented as he and Sasori thought about Itachi and Deidara's actions when they were together. Sasori snorted.

"I've never seen Deidara so obliging, sometimes I wonder if I'm looking at the same kid," Sasori sighed.

"Was there anything going on in Iwa?" Kisame asked. "Between you two?"

"Hm? You mean were we interested in each other? Nothing more then friendship and the occasional lust," Sasori said. "Nothing like crushes or feelings other then friendship, not between us."

"So you never liked him?"

"If you mean was I drawn to him, then yes. He was the only other artist in Iwagakure," Sasori said. "Artists stick together and that's all there is to it. We were never romantically entertwined,"

"But Itachi and Deidara...?"

"They're a whole other story entirely," Sasori said. "I'm not even going to try pretending I understand what Dei wants from Itachi."

"Does it bother you? Not knowing what they are thinking...?"

"It does and it also bothers me that you're being so bluntly honest," Sasori said bluntly. "What happened to the guy who wanted to pick a fight just cause they bumped into him?"

"That guy is buried underneath this one," Kisame sighed.

* * *

"Why do you call Sasori 'danna'?" Itachi asked as he helped Deidara with another problem.

"Oh, it was back when we were in Iwa. I guess the habit never really wore off," Deidara said. A knock on the door made them look up as Sasori and Kisame entered the room.

"Tutoring?" Sasori asked Itachi.

"More like correcting random mistakes," Itachi said.

"Well, its time to get you home, Itachi," Kisame said. "It's almost ten."

"Oh, great," Itachi rolled his eyes.

"What time do you want us to pick you up tomorrow?" Sasori asked, referring to himself and Deidara.

"Maybe around nighttime?" Itachi asked. "Father will have to leave for work early and he won't bother waking Sasuke or me up. Mother's a light sleeper."

"Alright then. Kisame, I'll drop you off first. Deidara, are you coming or are you going to finish your homework?" Sasori asked.

"I guess I'll come," Deidara said. "I can finish the rest tomorrow or something, yeah."

"Do you want me to come in?" Sasori asked. Itachi looked at the black volvo in the driveway.

"That's my car..." Itachi said.

"Rich boy has a car," Deidara rolled his eyes. "Go figure, yeah."

"No, you don't get it. That thing was totaled- I fell off a fucking cliff!" Itachi said. Deidara looked at the car again.

"What were you doing that involves falling off a cliff?" Sasori asked, his eye twitching.

"Street racing,"

"And what does your father know?"

"I fell off a cliff cause of some drunk,"

"I'm coming in with you," Sasori said.

"Don't leave me outta this, yeah," Deidara chirped, following Itachi out of the car.

"I'm home, " Itachi said after using his key to open the door.

"Welcome home," Mikoto smiled at her son. "Oh, hello Sasori and..."

"Deidara, ma'am," Deidara supplied for her.

"It's nice to meet you, Deidara," she said. "Is he a friend of yours, Sasori?"

"Yeah, he's from Iwagakure," Sasori said.

"Mom, my car..." Itachi said.

"Oh yes, your father brought you a new one," Mikoto smiled. "I couldn't believe it myself but there it was in the drive way..."

"Where's Sasuke?" Itachi asked.

"Oh, he's spending the night at a friend's house. I believe it was... Kiba and Neji?"

"That sounds about right," Itachi nodded. "Where's father?"

"He's washing up, I believe," Mikoto smiled.

"We'll take our leave now," Sasori said. "It was nice to see you again, Mrs. Uchiha."

"It was good seeing you too, Sasori. It was nice meeting you, Deidara," Mikoto said.

"Nice meeting you too, ma'am," Deidara said, closing the door behind him.

"I'm going to bed, mom," Itachi said.

"Alright, did you eat dinner?" she asked.

"Yeah, Granny Chiyo made dinner for me," Itachi said, walking up the stairs.

* * *

He took off his school clothes and got into the shower. He sighed and lot the hot water spray on him. He closed his eyes in partial content and when he opened them and looked in the mirror, he saw no trace of red.

When he got out of the shower, he put on a new pair of boxers, navy blue sweats, and a white t-shirt to hide the bruises that adorned his chest. He tensed when he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," he bit his lip but when he turned to Fugaku Uchiha, his face was stone set.

"I got a call from Himiko today," Fugaku said.

"I figured," Itachi said.

"Do you know why?"

"I asked someone else to homecoming,"

"Who is she?"

"He is Deidara,"

"Exactly. She called because she was worried about you. She said you were... going with a transvestite?" Fugaku asked.

"Deidara is not a transvestite," Itachi said. Stupid bitch. Of course the slut would do something like this...

"But he's still male,"

"He's not going to try and get in my pants," Itachi retorted. "And its not like he's after the Uchiha fortune."

"You will stay away from him,"

"I see no reason to,"

"He was a drug dealer back in Iwagakure,"

"Yeah, in Iwagakure- hold up, you checked hiim out?" Itachi said.

"I did and I won't have it running around the office that my son is gay with a drug dealer," Fugaku said. Itachi's hands turned into fists.

"'The office'? That stupid office is what this is about?" Itachi said through gritted teeth. "Deidara isn't a drug dealer. He's with Sasori and Sasori will keep him in check."

"Just stay away from him, Itachi," Fugaku snapped.

"No! He may be obnoxiously annoying and add these annoying 'yeahs' to the end of his sentences and he does mess up simple problems on his math homework but he is no-!" Itachi face snapped to the side when his father's hand connected with it.

"Stay away from him, Itachi," Fugaku growled. Itachi made the mistake of looking at his father. His eyes had bled red and the look of defiance was firmly set upon his features. Fugaku grabbed his son's shirt and lifted him up, punching his stomach with enough force to knock the wind out of Itachi and then threw him against the wall before he had time to catch his breath.

"Is everything alright?" Mikoto asked, knocking on Itachi's door.

"He just tripped, Mikoto," Fugaku said flawlessly. Itachi glared at his father's retreating back as he rolled onto his bed on his back, holding his stomach.

His father was smart. He knew Itachi wasn't home with a bruise when Mikoto saw him. If she was gone and hadn't seen Itachi since school, he could punch him and they would explain the child abuse with a street fight. When she was home, he punched the areas that were out of sight, like Itachi's chest because Itachi always wore a shirt around the house. His mother would ask questions about the multiple bruises that had not yet faded and others as dark from multiple pressure on them.

* * *

Itachi's eyes fluttered open and he tried to sit up but when the process became obviously painful, he winced and rolled onto his side. He sighed and wondered when he had managed to fall asleep.

He rolled off the bed and walked out of his door and downstairs. He found his mother in the living room, looking at an old family album.

"Mom?" Itachi asked. Mikoto turned and smiled at him.

"Good morning, Itachi. Did you have a good sleep?" she asked.

"My stomach hurt from that fall," Itachi admitted.

"Oh...did you fall on something?" she asked.

'Yeah, father's fist,' he thought but instead he said, "Yeah, the counter in my bathroom."

"Hm...maybe we should change the tile?" Mikoto asked as Itachi sat down next to her.

"No, I'll just lay down a towel from now on," Itachi said and Mikoto nodded. She then turned her attention to the photo album and pointed at a picture.

"Do you remember this?" she asked.

"Kind of hard to forget," Itachi said. "Sasuke was born and we couldn't get you to the hospital so I had to help with the delivery."

"Yes, your father arrived just as you had Sasuke in your arms and got that picture...You were the first one to hold him," she smiled fondly at the memory. Itachi nodded and a small smiled escaped his cold exterior.

"He's getting to big to hold now," Itachi said.

"He is, isn't he?" she nodded. "Are you doing anything today?"

"Well I was planning to go over to Sasori and Deidara's around nighttime or earlier unless you needed help with something," Itachi said. "We were planning to go out around town so Deidara could get used to it."

"That's nice. Well, I am doing this bake sale for Sasuke's school, it would help me a lot if you were to help me," Mikoto said.

"Sure. Let me just call Sasori and tell him to pick me up at a later time," Itachi said getting up, wincing as the action disagreed with his new bruise.

"Hello?" Sasori asked.

"Hey Sasori, its Itachi," he said.

"So? Are you alright? Did he do anything?" Sasori asked.

"I'm fine...how did you find out about my fall? Yeah, I _fell_ on my stomach," Itachi hinted, hoping that the older man got the hint.

"Oh, your mom's there," Sasori muttered. "So he did?"

"Yeah,"

"Where?"

"I told you, stomach and back," Itachi said. "Listen, about that outing tonight...pick me up around seven, alright? I'm helping mom with a bake sale for Sasuke's school."

"Shut up, Deidara! No, he can't cook- wait, why are you cooking?"

"Mom," Itachi said.

"I'm not buying from you,"

"Shut up, mom's putting the things in the oven. I'm just helping mix the eggs and stuff," Itachi grumbled.

"Alright, see you around seven," Sasori said.

"Yeah, see ya," Itachi said, hanging up the phone.

"Was that Sasori?" Mikoto asked.

"Yeah, he's picking me up around seven," Itachi said.

"Alright, that's good. So should we start with the cookies?" she smiled. Itachi inwardly groaned. Cooking was supposed to be Sasuke's job- not his!

"Damn, what happened to you, yeah?" Deidara grinned.

"Cooking," Itachi grumbled.

"It couldn't have been all that bad," Sasori smirked. Itachi glared at him because he knew that the redhead knew of his cooking weak spot. The best he could do was mix the ingrediants. If you let him decide how long the batter was in the oven, you'd have burnt whatever you were making.

"You got flour in your hair," Deidara said, brushing the flour out of Itachi's hair.

"Hi boys," Mikoto said.

"Hi Mrs. Uchiha," Deidara and Sasori replied.

"Let's go upstairs so you can take a shower," Sasori suggested. "And don't take long." Itachi rolled his eyes and the other two followed him up to his room.

"So what was that converstation about?" Deidara asked.

"How bad was it?" Sasori asked.

"I haven't seen it yet myself," Itachi said. He lifted his shirt over his head and both Sasori and Deidara sucked in their breaths.

"And your mom knows nothing about this?" Deidara demanded, seeing multiple bruises of all shades and sizes decorating his chest.

"And she's not going to," Itachi said. "I'm gonna get in the shower before she comes up here..." Deidara and Sasori nodded as Itachi grabbed a towel and Sasori sat down on Itachi's bed.

"How long...how long has his dad been hitting him?" Deidara asked.

"Since he was twelve," Sasori responded and Deidara nodded faintly.

"I'm not wearing that," Itachi said when he found out what Deidara had dug out of his closet.

"Why not, yeah?" Deidara grinned. "It'll still hide your bruises, yeah."

"It will kill my breathing system," Itachi said, clad in only a pair of boxers. He walked to his closet and opened it. He dug for something in the back and smirked when he found it and pulled it out. Deidara pouted when his outfit wasn't chosen...even if it was impractical to Itachi's breathing system.

"I haven't seen you in that for awhile," Sasori said.

"Why go for death and style when you can go for comfort and style?" Itachi asked, slipping on a pair of faded black jeans, a fishnet shirt that surprisingly hid his bruises, and a black leather jacket.

"Your dad actually let's you wear that?" Deidara grinned.

"He doesn't know," Itachi said, grabbing a mask. "Now let's go before he finds out."

Around 10:50...

"Put this on," Sasori told Deidara, handing him a black mask.

"What's this for, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"Masked Affinity is the name of the club," Itachi said. "It participates in illegal acts, namely street racing and the occasional serving drinks to minors but the cops can't prove anything."

"And don't hand out your name to anyone," Sasori said.

"Are the others meeting us here?" Itachi asked as Sasori parked his car.

"They're probably already here," Sasori said as he got out of the car.

Sure enough, they found it easy to spot the taller men. They were at the bar and having a drink. Sasori sighed and walked up to them, Itachi and Deidara close behind him.

"Pretty good club they got here," Deidara said.

"One of the best in Konoha," Itachi replied.

"So how's the club in Iwa compare to ours?" Kisame asked Deidara.

"Way cleaner, in more ways then one," Deidara smirked. "At downtown Iwa clubs you could just glance and find a drug dealer. C'mon, Sasori-danna! You promised that you'd dance with me, yeah!"

"We just got here, Dei," Sasori grumbled.

"Don't even give me that excuse, danna! You're just going to say 'I don't want to' or 'I'm busy keeping so and so in check' and you won't dance, yeah!" Deidara said and grabbed Sasori's wrist and pulled him to the dance floor.

_It goes one by one even two by two  
Everybody on the floor let me show you how we do  
Lets go dip it low then you bring it up slow  
Wine it up one time wine it back once more_

"You think Sasori will actually dance?" Kisame asked.

"Five bucks he will," Kakuzu said.

"Five fucking bucks he sure as hell won't," Hidan said.

_Rock it til the grooves done  
Shake it til the moon becomes the sun (Sun)  
Everybody in the club give me a run (Run)  
If you ready to move say it (Yeah Yeah)  
One time for your mind say it (Yeah Yeah)_

"What was that one lyric?" Itachi asked.

"Which one?" Kisame asked.

"'One time for your mind say it'," Itachi said. "Because not only is Sasori just dancing but he can dance."

"What do you think they're talking about, danna?" Deidara asked.

"Probably taking bets," Sasori asked.

"Well then, let's give them a show, yeah," Deidara smirked.

"What are you planning?" Sasori sighed, not really wanting to argue with the younger man.

"Just showing off your dancing," Deidara said innocently enough. "C'mon, danna. It's just like in Iwa- its just you an me."

* * *

"I don't know why anyone bets against Kakuzu," Itachi sighed. "He never loses when it comes to money."

"Hey, Itachi, I'll make a bet with you," Kakuzu said.

"What is it?" Itachi asked.

"I'll bet you fifty bucks that you and Deidara are going to be an official couple by the Valentine's Dance," Kakuzu said.

"We're not even an unofficial couple, Kakuzu," Itachi frowned and then he smirked. "Okay, you've got yourself a bet."

"Damn, he can dance," Kisame said.

"Where'd the fuckin' guy come from? The damn aisle of dancing?" Hidan cursed.

And the thought that was left lingering in their thoughts for the first event of the night: Sasori can dance!

Me: Okay, so that was chapter five!

Deidara: Yes it was...are you gonna do that same thing for chapter six?

Me: I don't know- we'll see! Please review and tell me what you thought!

Featured in the next chapter: Mishappenings at the club and probably more Konoha dance lessons!


	6. Twists He Can't Be Sorry About

Me: Sorry I took so long to update! Had a writer's block...

Disclaimer: I no own

Thanks all my reviewers and you know the rest of the thing!

**Warning: There is going to be a past Itachi/Shisui so if you don't like...but it is minor but I'm not sure if it will grow over the course of the story. But this is definitely a Deidara/Itachi in the end.**

**But in this part right now, or maybe not ever, they don't know that they're cousins. I'm not even sure if I'll make them blood related or related at all in this story... But please tell me what you thought about the twist!**

* * *

_"I don't know why anyone bets against Kakuzu," Itachi sighed. "He never loses when it comes to money."_

_"Hey, Itachi, I'll make a bet with you," Kakuzu said._

_"What is it?" Itachi asked._

_"I'll bet you fifty bucks that you and Deidara are going to be an official couple by the Valentine's Dance," Kakuzu said._

_"We're not even an unofficial couple, Kakuzu," Itachi frowned and then he smirked. "Okay, you've got yourself a bet."_

_"Damn, he can dance," Kisame said._

_"Where'd the fuckin' guy come from? The damn aisle of dancing?" Hidan cursed._

_And the thought that was left lingering in their thoughts for the first event of the night: Sasori can dance!_

* * *

"Damn, Itachi, what is that song called…?" Hidan asked.

"The one that just played?" Itachi asked.

"No, no, the Disney one…the one that goes like 'I can't take my eyes off of you,'" Hidan said. Itachi's eye began to twitch.

"What's your point?" Itachi asked.

"You haven't taken your eyes off of Deidara this whole fucking night!" Hidan laughed. He was silenced by Itachi's glare.

"You had better hope you're drunk," Itachi snarled, getting up to move to a different part of the bar.

"What's up with him?" Sasori asked as he and Deidara came to sit next to the guys who were still sitting at the bar where they had left them.

"Hidan pissed him off," Kisame said crossly.

"Dei?" Sasori asked.

"I'll take care of him, yeah," Deidara said with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry too much danna, you'll get wrinkles."

"You impudent brat!" Sasori shouted as Deidara merely smirked and continued walking to Itachi. He leaned against the counter and gingerly ran his fingers up Itachi's arm. Itachi jumped slightly but Deidara pretended not to notice.

"You're kinda the last person I'd expect to be here, but you are looking like a party pooper so I suppose it really is you I'm seeing here,"

"What? No odd endings at the ends of your sentence?" Itachi retaliated. 'What the hell? Where have I done this before?'

"Hey now, no need to get offensive," he said. "I'm just here for a dance. Care to join me in my kind of dancing? You do owe me after making me attend that stupid-"

"Alright, no need to nag," Itachi said. The other teenager grinned in triumph and took his hand, bringing him to the dance floor.

"So what music fits your style?" he asked.

"This will do,"

"Ayo Technology? Really? Never took you for a dirty dancer…then again I never expected you to be at a club either…"

"Just shut up and dance," Itachi said, placing his hands on the other's hips.

_When she ready to ride, I'm ready to roll  
I'll be in this bitch till the club close  
What should I do, one thing on all fours  
Now that that shit should be against the law  
From side to side, let the ride, break it down (down down)_

Itachi held his breath as the other moved in ways that made him want him so bad, Deidara now with his back to him and closer then any school teacher or responsible adult would like them to be. He could tell that the other was thinking the exact same thing he was- they wanted each other. The other's breath was hot on his ear, ghosting against his neck but never his lips.

_You know I like, when you hike and you throw it all around  
Different style, different move, damn I like the way you move  
Girl you got me thinking about, all the things I do to you  
Let's get it poppin' shorty we can switch positions  
From the couch to the counters in my kitchen_

"You know…" the younger said. "For a spoiled rich boy, you sure on one helluva dirty dancer."

"What can I say? I come here a lot…You know, for some Iwa kid, you sure are one heckuva ballroom dancer," Itachi said, whispering deliberately in his ear. "In the right hands…" Deidara's mind officially went into the gutter right then and there.

_Baby this a new age, you like my new craze  
Let's get together maybe we can start a new phase  
The smokes got the club all hazy, spotlights don't do you justice baby  
Why don't you come over here, you got me saying_

"You know…" Deidara whispered. "You got me saying-"

"Hey, how ya'll doing down there?" Deidara and Itachi both groaned as the music stopped and it became somewhat lighter in the club.

"What the hell?" Itachi muttered.

"Well, not all of you know me but let's call me Leader for now!" Itachi did a double take and caught the glances of the other members of the Akatsuki.

"C'mon," Itachi said, furious that leader had ruined the mood.

"I like to give a fair warning to all my guys here and for the brave ladies who chanced it in here!" Leader said. "Well I'm sure all you ladies and gents know but it's time for street racing in just fifteen minutes! So get your asses either down to the safety of your little homes or get your asses out onto the streets and sign up your ride!" Itachi grabbed Deidara's wrist and pulled him through the crowd.

"Hey, you gonna race Itachi?" Kisame asked.

"I don't have anything to race," Itachi responded.

"Deidara, don't even think about it," Sasori said.

"Aw, why not danna, yeah?" Deidara grinned. "It'll be fun, you'll see."

"I don't want you racing. Not after what happened to Itachi," Sasori said. "He was in the hospital for almost two months. Your schooling would be at jeopardy."

"Fine, danna," Deidara rolled his eyes. "But just so you know, I used to race in Iwa, yeah."

"You raced?" Itachi asked.

"Motorcycles, yeah," Deidara said. "Pretty good at it too. I usually placed." Itachi nodded.

"Hey, Itachi!" Leader called up from the speaker stands. "Are you going to get in this race? We haven't seen you for quite sometime!" Shouts of encouragement were called but Itachi held his hand up and they were quiet.

"Someone seems to forget that my car was totaled in the last race…what's my father going to say if I get it totaled again after he got me the same model?" Itachi asked. Sighs and mutterings of disappointment were whispered as Leader stroked his chin.

"Well how about you, the guy from Iwagakure?" Leader asked.

"How does he know I'm from Iwa?" Deidara whispered.

"News travels fast," Sasori whispered.

"And considering that this is Leader, it'd be weird if he didn't know," Kisame said.

"Sorry man," Deidara grinned. "No ride, yeah."

"Oh, and I had such high hopes for you two!" Leader shook his head. "But I guess it can't be helped! Maybe next time, eh boys?"

"He's acting very out of character…" Itachi muttered to Kisame.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Kisame nodded.

"You think someone's got a knife at his neck?" Kakuzu asked.

"Not if they want to get away from him alive," Sasori said. "He's worse then all of us…"

"Well the fucking bastard can shut the hell up now," Hidan said. "He ruined the show!"

"What show?" Itachi and Deidara said at the same time. They glared at each other and then looked away.

"You were the fucking show!" Hidan said, throwing his arms up in frustration. He was about to fall off of his chair but Kakuzu caught him. Deidara blushed and Itachi turned his glare on Hidan who was in a very drunk state.

"He's going to have a major hangover in the morning," Sasori muttered.

"Hey, Itachi," Leader said, making his way through the crowd to get to them.

"Leader," Itachi nodded.

"Say, if I provide you with a bike, would your race?"

"You know that I don't race bikes," Itachi said.

"I do," Deidara spoke up.

"Don't even think about it," Sasori said through gritted teeth.

"Oh, let the boy race, Sasori," Leader said. "After all… he does need to earn his keep, doesn't he?" Sasori glared at the man and put his hand on Deidara's shoulder and brought him from Itachi's side to his.

"You don't have to do this. You can earn your keep in other ways," Sasori hissed.

"'My keep'?" Deidara repeated, frowning. "What is he talking about? What are you talking about?"

"Your keep is a display of your talent. Itachi got into street racing, Kakuzu…well, let's just say he handled a robbery from Leader that Leader needed taken care of…" Sasori frowned.

"And what did you do, yeah?" Itachi grabbed Deidara's arm and shoved him into Kisame.

"You don't need to tell him about that," Itachi said.

"You're right…but I don't want him street racing," Sasori said. "At least not until he's seen what he's up against and I know that Leader is going to put him in the first race." Itachi nodded and then a familiar head of black hair and black eyes looked at him from across the room and then quickly looked away.

"Alright then," Itachi muttered. "If you got a spare car, you got yourself a deal from me." Leader stroked his chin and then he smirked.

"I believe I do, and it's just your thing," he said. "I believe that it's just like the first model that you raced- you know what, I think it's the exact car down to the get go." Sasori stared at Leader like he had grown another head, Deidara looked at them curiously, Itachi had tensed visibly, Hidan was basically wasted, Kisame looked like he was about to kill, and Kakuzu calmly examined the situation.

"Two hundred bucks…two hundred bucks that Itachi places and comes out unscathed," Kakuzu declared. Leader smirked.

"You got yourself a deal, Kakuzu," he said and then he walked away from his Akatsuki.

"You fucking crazy…" Hidan muttered seemingly in his sleep.

"For once, the blowhard's gutter comments are right!" Sasori hissed. "That car that was in his very first race? Do you remember what happened at all?"

"I do…but I did some research on it," Kakuzu said.

"How so?" Itachi asked.

"Do you remember the guy on the bike? The one who shook hands with you?" Kakuzu asked.

"Yeah, so what about him?" Itachi asked.

"He rigged the race," Kakuzu said. Itachi smirked but it was clear that he was shaking.

"But he came to help me," Itachi protested.

"That was a rigged race...but apparently he felt something for you because he threw that race."

"I remember..." Itachi muttered. "I remember all to well."

* * *

_Flashback_

_"So, this your first race?" the man asked, coming up to him and smiling._

_"Yeah, it is," Itachi nodded. "How'd you know?"_

_"Well, you're a little tense," he said. "So can I get the newbie's name?"_

_"Itachi," he said, trusting this man for some reason._

_"I'm Shisui," he said, holding his hand out to take which Itachi took. "And kid I know you didn't but don't give out your last name. The cops could track you down." Itachi nodded as Shisui went back to his vehicle. _

_"Shisui, huh?" Itachi muttered. (A/N: They don't know they're cousins!)_

_"Hey, Itachi!" Kisame shouted._

_"Hm?" he asked as the older teen walked up to him._

_"So you really gonna go through with this?" Kisame asked._

_"Yeah..." he threw a glance over his shoulder and Shisui offered him a sly smile, which he offered back._

_"Someone catch your eye?" Kisame asked._

_"Hm? Oh, just some guy who came to offer me advice," Itachi said. _

_"Mmm-hmm," Kisame said. Itachi knew that the fish loving teen doubted him but he really could care less about that right now._

_"I really don't like this," Sasori said._

_"Oh come on, fucking ease up already!" Hidan said, slapping Itachi on the shoulder. He winced._

_"Hidan..." Sasori glared._

_"Yeah, yeah, sorry you hell bitching mother hen," Hidan rolled his eyes. "But let the boy grow up! He'll earn his keep this way!" Sasori grumbled something but was pulled away by Kakuzu and Hidan as Leader's voice came over the speakers. Kisame opened the door for Itachi._

_"Be careful out there," Kisame said. "Don't get to close to the other cars and-"_

_"Kisame, I got it," Itachi said. "It's going to be fine," he said before strapping himself to the seat. Kisame nodded and closed the door, patting Itachi's shoulder gently._

_"Good luck," he said and then he left to find the other Akatsuki members. Shisui came up to him and grinned._

_"Shouldn't you be on your bike?" Itachi asked._

_"I should be. I just wanted to come over here to offer advice and good luck," he said. "You see that blue car up there? The one with the snake? Stay away from it. He's not past pushing you off the road. And then I wanted to do this." He leaned in and kissed Itachi's cheek, making him blush. _

_"See you at the finish line," Shisui grinned and Itachi could only nod._

_"Ready...3...2...1, GO!" Konan shouted, putting her handkerchief down. The cars began speeding. Itachi smirked and switched gears before he went. He passed several up easy and then found himself in pace with the blue car Shisui had told him to stay away from. He slowed down, for some reason trusting Shisui._

_'"You see that blue car up there? The one with the snake? Stay away from it. He's not past pushing you off the road."' Shisui had said. Then Itachi blushed, remembering the feeling of the lips upon his cheek._

_The blue car began to slow down and sure enough, came into contact with Itachi. The driver inside smirked and began scooting closer to him. Itachi cursed and sped up but the driver fell into pace again with him and began pushing him off the curb._

_"Shit!" Itachi cursed as he was pushed further off. The driver gave him a snake-like smile and rammed into his car one last time, pushing him off the edge. The car rolled over. After the third time of rolling down the hill, he lost track of how many times he rolled over. Then the car stopped and he felt his eyes closing but an approaching sound focused him to stay awake._

_"Dammit, Itachi!" the familiar voice shouted. The engine of the vehicle stopped and his door was opened. It was then he realized that the car had stopped turning and he was upside down._

_"Shi...Shisui..." Itachi muttered. "I tried...I did-"_

_"Shh, shh," Shisui said, putting his arms around Itachi's chest and in one quick motion he unbluckled the seat belt and pulled Itachi into his lap. "I know you did, I know..." Itachi smiled and then his eyes began to close._

_"No, Itachi! You need to stay awake! C'mon, stay awke for me," Shisui said. Itachi did his best, he really did. But in the end his eyes closed and he woke up to the hospital with a note that Kisame was holding from Shisui._

_End Flashback_

* * *

Me: Okay, what did you think about that? And again, sorry it took me so long to update!

Itachi:...What happened to him after?

Kisame: And what did that note say?

Me: That's in the next chapter when Itachi races! Please review!


	7. Seeing You Again Isn't A Mistake

Me: Oh, it's chapter seven!

Thanks for reviewing and you know the rest everybody!

Disclaimer: I no own, duh!

Oh yes, I know like... _**ABSOLUTELY NOTHING**_ about cars/motercycles so if you people could help me out with the mechanical stuff, I'd _really_ appreciate that.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"No, Itachi! You need to stay awake! C'mon, stay awake for me," Shisui said. Itachi did his best, he really did. But in the end his eyes closed and he woke up to the hospital with a note that Kisame was holding from Shisui._

_End Flashback_

* * *

"I don't believe you," Itachi said stubbornly.

"Itachi, why would Kakuzu lie about someone rigging a race?" Kisame asked, hoping the teen would see sense.

"I don't know! Maybe he got a false lead!" Itachi almost shouted and stormed away from them.

"Kisame…what was on that note?" Kakuzu asked. "I _don't_ get false leads and I know that you read it." Kisame averted his gaze.

"If Itachi wants to tell you then he will," Kisame said. "Or better yet, why don't you try asking him himself? I'm gonna try and calm him down before he gets in over his head with this race…Deidara, come with me."

"Hey, why me, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"Yes, why him?" Sasori asked.

"Because he'll feel smothered if you come, Sasori," Kisame said.

"And he won't if you do?" Sasori asked.

"I meant if both of us were to go," Kisame said. "C'mon." Deidara followed Kisame, unsure of why the shark-like man wouldn't go by himself. He saw Itachi checking out the car Leader had told him to use. Then he saw Itachi take one quick glance in their direction and then turned his back to them.

Kisame sighed when he saw the Uchiha turn away from them and it brought the memory back from the hospital that he'd rather not remember.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Hey, I never caught your name," Kisame said._

_"Hmm? Oh, it's Shisui," the man said. He gave Kisame a quick glance and then stared at Itachi's room door._

_"So why'd you throw the race? You didn't have to," Kisame said._

_"I had a fondness for the kid," Shisui shrugged. "Besides, the way he tumbled down that hill, if no one got to him quick…he'd be…"_

_"Yeah…" Kisame muttered. "I'm gonna get a drink or something… you want anything?"_

_"No thanks," Shisui shook his head._

_"Suit yourself," Kisame shrugged, walking away. He turned the corner and when he got back, Shisui was coming out of Itachi's room._

_"You can go see him now," Shisui said._

_"Is he awake?" Shisui shook his head no. "You're not gonna stay until he does wake up?"_

_"It's better that he doesn't become…acquainted with me. What's his last name again?" Shisui asked._

_"Uchiha," Kisame said._

_"Thanks…just wanted to make sure," Shisui said. "Can you…give this to him?"_

_"Uh…sure," Kisame said, accepting the slip of paper and putting it in his pocket. He waited until Shisui was out of sight before going into the room. He sighed and sat down, unfolding the slip of paper._

_Hey, Itachi_

_Well, that's your name unless you were losing a false identity. Anyways, you scared me kid, but Orochimaru (that's the car who sent you over) is to blame so don't worry about it. You're not a bad racer. Keep it up if you're not too scarred from that race. Not all street races turn out like that but some of them do. Maybe I'll see you again but maybe I won't. It's not that I don't want to see you again but its more like…its more like it's better for you not to be in my company. Or anywhere near me, for that matter._

_You looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake you but I did something you probably won't like. You know your friend? The one that looks like a shark? Well he's overprotective as hell, I could tell. Keep him around…he's a good guy._

_Anyways, I stole a kiss from you._

_Sorry, maybe you'll steal one from me too…or you'll try and beat me up._

_Either or is good for me, I got to kiss you and you're…exotic, I guess_

_See you, _

_Shisui_

_"Fuck, that bastard," Kisame muttered. "Guess I'll let Itachi handle this." When Itachi woke up, Kisame was reading over the note still._

_"Kisame?" Itachi spoke up, his throat dry._

_"Itachi, you're awake. How are you feeling?" Kisame asked._

_"Fucking sore," Itachi sighed. "Damn it…hey, where's-"_

_"He left," Kisame said. "He said to give you this." He handed Itachi the note. Kisame knew what part he had hit when the usually stoic boy's cheeks heated up. Itachi turned on his side but Kisame could tell that he wanted to touch his lips without him seeing._

_"So how long am I in this hell hole?" Itachi asked. Kisame let a sly smile slip onto his face. At least Itachi was still sane in the head._

_End Flashback_

* * *

"Hey Itachi… everything alright?" Kisame asked, walking up to him with the practiced ease of looking calm. Itachi shrugged and looked at Deidara with a frown on his face.

"You're not talking me out of this race," Itachi warned.

"Why not, Itachi? You're stressed and you've thrown other races when Leader's offered you a vehicle," Kisame groaned. "What makes this one so different?"

"_He's_ here,"Itachi said.

"Fuck, Itachi…you're still pining after him," Kisame said. "Is he why you race? So that you can catch a glimpse of him?"

"That and other reasons," Itachi said. "And I am not pining after him...he's just...a guy who I want to know who the hell he thinks he is." Kisame frowned, he and Itachi both knew that was a lie but Deidara probably wouldn't pick up on it since he hadn't known Itachi long. Deidara threw his hands up in frustration.

"Who the hell is this guy, yeah?" Deidara said.

"Itachi's first crush," Kisame muttered. Itachi glared at him and Kisame took a step back.

"Just shut up, Kisame. I don't want to talk right now," Itachi said, crossing his arms.

"Fine," Kisame said. "Keep an eye on the stubborn brat, will you, Deidara?" Itachi flushed with indignity and his eyes flashed red as Kisame walked away.

"You should learn how to control your temper, yeah," Deidara said, lifting the hood up and checking the engine. "Not a bad car ya raced here... you lost with this beauty during your first race? How the fuck did that happen, yeah?"

"I was pushed off the side lane," Itachi said. "Rolled off a cliff."

"Like the time you were racing that Volvo?" Deidara asked and then he whistled. "Damn, you would have won with this for sure if you weren't pushed off."

"You know about cars?" Itachi asked.

"It was about the only legit thing I did back in Iwagakure. I was a part time mechanic. Sasori-danna wanted me to do something that wasn't against the law incase I ever needed a cover up and so he hooked me up at a shop," Deidara shrugged. "Used to race them too but don't tell Danna that. He'd have a fit, yeah."

"Yeah…" Itachi voiced.

"You sure you wanna race? You're in one hell of a bad mood," Deidara noted.

"I'll take my chances," Itachi said. "Probably race in the next one too..."

"So who's this 'first crush'?" Deidara asked.

"What? You jealous or something?" Deidara glared at him and a red blush was present on his cheeks.

"No! I am sure as hell not jealous!" Deidara said. "Go fuck him for all I fucking care!" He then stormed away from Itachi. Itachi chuckled and the red had disappeared from his eyes for a moment. But then he saw a familiar snake like face and all the red was back. The one that had haunted his nightmares still on occasion was staring at him from the glass windows on the second floor of the club.

And then he looked to the right of that man. He saw the familiar face and he had to remind himself to breath. His eyes bled back into the obsidian that everyone was fonder of then his crimson red color but there was streaks of red in his eyes still. He was just daring Orochimaru to get his ass into the races. But when he laid eyes on Shisui again, he knew that there was no way in hell that he was losing this race.

"Watch me," Itachi whispered, "'Cause I'm gonna win." His eyes still on Shisui and as if the older man had understood what Itachi had said, he nodded and gave him a small smile.

* * *

Deidara thread his way through the crowd, his cheeks still marred an angry red. How dare Itachi make fun of him like that?! He was just trying to show concern about the stupid enigmatic brat! He didn't need to pull the jealous card!

"Hey, I heard Orochimaru is gonna race in the next race!" Deidara froze in his tracks.

"Seriously? Man, that guy always wins! I'm so betting on him!"

"Hey, did you guys say Orochimaru?" Deidara asked, walking up to them.

"Yeah, we did. You heard of him?" one guy asked.

"You don't look like you're from around here," the other said. "How do you know about Orochimaru?"

"I'm from Iwa, man," Deidara said, smirking. "Street racing was invented there."

"Oh awesome," the first one said. "So you betting on him?"

"Naw, I got a friend I'm betting on," Deidara said.

"Oh awesome, who is he?" the other said.

"Itachi," Deidara said.

"Oh, that's some cold competition," the first one said.

"How cold is cold, yeah?" Deidara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, Orochimaru drove Itachi off a cliff during Itachi's first race," the other one said thougtfully. "And then Orochimaru's lackey or whoever the hell he is rushed off also and saved Itachi's life. No one thought he was gonna live but then he came back to the club and won his next race." Deidara nodded.

"Thanks," he said, walking away, not listening to them calling him to ask about why he was so sure about Itachi's winning.

* * *

"Danna, I'm gonna race," Deidara said. "Where's that Leader guy?"

"It's to late to enter this race," Sasori frowned. "And there is no way in hell I'm gonna-"

"He's going to participate in another race, danna," Deidara said. "And so is Orochimaru." Kisame spat out his drink.

"What?!"

"Damn it," Sasori muttered. "There is no way in hell you're racing if Orochimaru is in that fucking race, Deidara."

"Danna, I'm not new at street racing!" Deidara protested as the gun that signaled the races to start was fired.

"I don't care," Sasori growled. "You know the rumors about him have reached Iwa. How bad do you think they are in Konoha if they were enough to stop your ass in here?" Deidara glared at him.

"If I don't get in that race, he's gonna get into a lot more then rolling off a cliff and then waking up in the hospital," Deidara glared. "If the rumors are true, Orochimaru isn't likely to let him live."

Sasori bit his lip, Deidara making perfect sense to him.

Cheers were let out and they looked out the window. Itachi had come in first, the second car that they didn't recognize coming in second and the third was Kabuto, Sasori noted with malice. It was an over statement to say that Sasori hated him. But it was definitely and understatement to say he trusted the man who was three years older then Itachi. (A/N: Don't really know his age but don't care right now!)

"You won't be racing," Sasori said.

"Danna!" Deidara protested.

"Come with me," Sasori said. "C'mon Deidara! Don't keep me waiting!"

"I'm coming, damn it!" Deidara said.

"He doesn't say 'yeah' at the end of his senteces when he's mad..." Kakuzu noted.

"What the hell does that have to do with any fucking thing?" Hidan asked.

"Do you know what's going on?" Kisame asked Kakuzu.

"I sure as fucking hell don't," Hidan said.

"That's why I was asking Kakuzu and not you, Hidan," Kisame frowned. "Well?"

"I don't have any idea...mostly because Sasori paid me ten bucks to keep my mouth shut..." Kakuzu said.

"I am not paying you just to tell me what Sasori wouldn't... Besides, I have a feeling we don't want to know just yet," Kisame said. Kakuzu smirked. This was going to be interesting.

"You sure about this?" Leader asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you under the helmet. Wouldn't you rather prefer a car? Motercycles aren't for-"

"I'm no beginner. I'll be fine,"

Leader smirked and handed the helmet to him as he helped him get ready.

"I'd say be careful...but then I'd spoil all the fun," Leader said.

"It's touching how worried about my well being you are," he commented dryly.

"I am going to tell you this though: the word along the grapevine is that some guy name Shisui is entering your race and so is Orochimaru...names ring a bell?" Leader asked.

"More then I would like,"

* * *

"You racing again?" Kakuzu asked, walking up to Itachi.

"Yeah? So what about it?"

"I got money on you, kid," Kakuzu said.

"Don't call me kid," Itach frowned.

"Itachi," a voice he hadn't heard for a long time spoke.

"Shisui..." Itachi breathed.

"I'll take my leave now," Kakuzu said.

"Long time no see," Shisui smiled. "Still racing?"

"Yeah," Itachi nodded. "I haven't seen you in any other races-"

"I know you haven't," Shisui said. "Been hitting other places for awhile...we only came back here recently."

"Oh," Itachi said. "Who's 'we'?"

"Nevermind that," Shisui said. "Is there anything I can do to make you pull out of the race?" Itachi shook his head.

"I got to much on my mind for that," Itachi said.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that..." Shisui sighed. "Be careful, alright? I'm going to try and stick close to you but..."

"I'm not a kid," Itachi said. Shisui smiled fondly.

"Sorry, I know you're not," he said. "Hey..." He pressed his lips to Itachi's simply and then pulled back.

"Shisui?" Itachi murmmered. "Do that again...please?"

"Since you're not going to pull out of the race...I'll do it if you place," Shisui smiled. "I'll be back then. There's something I want to check out." Itachi nodded and Shisui walked away and as he turned the corner, his shoulder brushed against someone elses.

"So you're his first crush?"

"Well I wouldn't know about that...you his boyfriend or something?"

"I am not his boyfriend nor will I ever be," the silhouette crossed his arms.

"Uh huh," Shisui said offhandedly. "But if you don't take him, know this: _I will_." He felt the heated glare on his back as he walked away. The tingling on his lips was still there and he leaned against the wall that was not in the teenager's line of sight.

"God damn it..." Shisui muttered. "I'm just gonna make things worse for him..."

* * *

Me: Did you guys like that? I think it was pretty good...Can anyone tell who was who when I didn't tell you guys who was speaking? If you're not able to guess, don't worry, it'll be in the next chapter!

Okay, so I have two requests (why do I always have two requests? Have you noticed its always been two so far? Anyways, on with the requests!)

**1) Will someone please help me out with the car stuff? I need information about motercycles and fast ones that are...uh, good for racing I guess? I'll hit the internet and the books for information but I want your guy's opinions!**

**2) Please review! Reviews make me happy! :D**


	8. These Threats Aren't Idle

Me: Hey everybody! I did look up the mechanical stuff and then I got confused... I guess its not the motercycle its some chain that's shorter or longer that makes the bike go faster or not...?

Deidara: Just get on with it, yeah!

Disclaimer: I no own.

* * *

"Is that Sasori or Deidara?" Kisame asked, looking through the glass.

"Can't tell you," Kakuzu smirked. "Unless-"

"I am not paying you to tell me, Kakuzu," Kisame said.

"It was worth a shot," Kakuzu shrugged.

"That fucking ass hole," Hidan chuckled.

"What?" Kisame asked.

"You don't want to fucking know," Hidan reminded him.

"Fine," Kisame grunted.

* * *

"On your marks...Get set...GO!" the gun was set off. Itachi switched his gear and stepped on the gas petal. He took a quick glance to his right and realized to his displeasure, that Orochimaru was ahead of him and closer then he'd like.

"Fuck," he muttered, averting his eyes to find a way to get past the snake. When he looked back to the road, everything had become more clear.

It also became more clear that Orochimaru was trying to get closer to him. Well, trying and succeeding, that was. He cursed out loud. How stupid was he? It was obvious Orochimaru was after results- and this time he wanted Itachi dead.

This was gonna make one hell of a story if he ended up in the hospital when he was the only one in the hospital after telling his mother that he was doing supposedly legit things and going out with Deidara and Sasori.

Just as Orochimaru's car was maybe the length of two or three motercycles away from him, a motercycle dived into the space provided and then lingered in that space for several seconds.

And then just like that, the motercycalist sped up, easily gaining distance on them. Itachi could have sworn the driver had given him a meaningful glance and stepped on the gas pedal, taking advantage of the stunned state Orochimaru was no doubt in.

"Who the hell are you?" Itachi muttered as he was now in sight of the motercycalist. He smirked and decided that it didn't matter as Orochimaru came closer to his open window. He looked at the snake like man for a split second and that split second was enough to have Orochimaru whipping his car away from him.

* * *

"Did you see that?" Kisame asked over the loud cheers and exclaims of disbelief as Orochimaru drove his car away from Itachi.

"You'd have to be a fool not too...but what do you think happened?" Kakuzu asked.

"Well let's get the fuck down there and find out by our damn selves," Hidan said.

"If I had a penny for everytime-"

"We've been through this before Kakuzu! You. Are. Already. Rich!" Kisame said through gritted teeth. The man with his face mostly in bandages sighed and followed the man with an odd religion and the man who looked like a shark downstairs to meet Itachi at the finish line...if he made it...

* * *

"Huh, wonder what happened there," Shisui whispered to himself as he slid in between Itachi and Orochimaru. He cursed in surprise as Orochimaru began to get closer to his car faster then necessary and with a sense of forboding, realized his goal.

'He's trying to kill him this time- even if it means killing me,' Shisui thought, biting his lip. 'C'mon kid, I need your help on this one.' He stepped down harder on the gas pedal and somehow, the motercycalist was back in their game.

Performing a wheelie, (A/N: I'm sure you know this, but its getting on the back wheel) the driver successfully drove inbetween Orochimaru and Shisui, splitting them further apart. Itachi took his chance and switched the gears of the car, now neck in neck with the man on the motercycle. Shisui was just barely hanging onto third but didn't try and go any faster.

"Is it that kid who was hanging around Itachi?" Shisui muttered.

'Sasori wouldn't let Deidara enter this race...right?' Itachi thought.

"Who the hell is that bastard?" Orochimaru hissed. "He'd better hope he doesn't do that again..." He sped up and Shisui immediantly went into reverse and was now behind Orochimaru.

'He's really trying to kill me and Itachi,' Shisui thought. 'Dammit...whoever you are on the motercycle...take care of him when I can't.'

Itachi felt something ram into the back of the car and looked into the rear view mirror. Of course it was Orochimaru. What he didn't understand was why Orochimaru had gotten away from him so fast when they were neck and neck with each other. But then he looked hard into the mirror again and saw the full blood crimson and understood.

His eyes were the deepest red they had been in years.

Itachi pulled to a stop next to the motercycler, rolling the window down for fresh air. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again, they had turned into obsidian black. Orochimaru was on the opposite end of the finish line track and was now glaring at him but his attention turned to Shisui when he pulled up.

Shisui didn't turn to Orochimaru but instead Itachi. He walked over to him calmly and leaned on the frame of the door.

"You placed second," Shisui smiled. "That was nice."

"Did you expect any less of me?" Itachi asked.

"I didn't expect you to place second with Orochimaru here," Shisui told him honestly. "Where'd you learn how to drive like that? I'm sure I've only been gone from here since your first accident... you haven't been racing for that long."

"I just got into-" Shisui silenced him with another kiss. "a lot of open races..." he finished quietly. Shisui nodded and kissed him again, this time slipping a piece of paper into his jacket pocket.

"If you need anything...my number and my adress," Shisui said when they parted. Itachi nodded and Shisui winced when he looked back up at Orochimaru. "Now if you'll excuse me...I have some company that I need to attend to..." Itachi nodded and knew that he was blushing. He took a deep breath before unbuckling his seat belt and walked over to the motercycalist.

"Hey-" Itachi said.

"I think that you've risked your life enough for one night," the familiar voice interrupted him, taking off the helmet. Itachi stared at him in disbelief.

_"Sasori?" _Itachi gaped. "You _race_?"

* * *

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_"You sure about this?" Leader asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you under the helmet. Wouldn't you rather prefer a car? Motercycles aren't for-"_

_"I'm no beginner. I'll be fine," Sasori snapped._

_Leader smirked and handed the helmet to him as he helped him get ready._

_"I'd say be careful...but then I'd spoil all the fun," Leader said._

_"It's touching how worried about my well being you are," he commented dryly._

_"I am going to tell you this though: the word along the grapevine is that some guy name Shisui is entering your race and so is Orochimaru...names ring a bell?" Leader asked._

_"More then I would like," Sasori muttered. "Where's that brat?"_

_

* * *

Itachi nodded and Shisui walked away and as he turned the corner, his shoulder brushed against someone else's._

_"So you're his first crush?" the blonde asked._

_"Well I wouldn't know about that...you his boyfriend or something?"_

_"I am not his boyfriend nor will I ever be," Deidara crossed his arms._

_"Uh huh," Shisui said offhandedly. "But if you don't take him, know this: I will." Deidara glared at him as he walked away. What was up with that guy? How did asking a question about one guy around here that was your age get everyone thinking that you liked them for something other then physical attraction?_

_This was one of those times where he wished that he was in Iwagakure... no one thought anything past physical attraction. It was always, "Ya gettin' any?" and that was that. No one questioned any further...they didn't want to._

"Hey, danna," Deidara said calmly as he walked over to them. "Nice job, yeah."

"Hmph," Sasori said. "He didn't have a clue."

"I wonder why," Itachi glared. "_You_ never mentioned anything about racing."

"Racing was invented in Iwagakure, Itachi," Sasori said and Deidara smirked. "It should have been a given that I raced considering I needed some form of currency for school and racing was a quick, easy way to make money...especially considering they fired you without a moment's thought just because they felt like it."

"Sasori?" Kisame shouted. "You have got to be kidding me..."

"I would have told you...but you didn't pay me anything," Kakuzu said.

"Why didn't you tell us you were racing? I was sure it was Deidara," Kisame said, ignoring Kakuzu completely.

"True, Deidara is probably a better racer then I am...but when it comes to the kind of competition Orochimaru is, things tend to heat up when he's on the track...so I was a more logical choice then him," Sasori said. "Not that I'd let him race with Orochimaru anyways...brat."

"I thought Sasori didn't know you raced?" Itachi whispered to Deidara.

"Racing was invented in Iwa, any teenager or middle aged crazy who could drive did, yeah," Deidara reminded him and then paused. "He doesn't know that I raced for that job I told you about. The racing was dead obvious, considering I was always out and he went to my races anyways, yeah."

"You!" they turned and saw Orochimaru hissing, Shisui back at the car he raced, his eyes trained on Itachi but he was still keeping an eye on Orochimaru and Sasori.

"Indeed, me," Sasori said in a bored tone. "Do you have an issue with me?"

"I'd like to talk with you alone if you don't mind," Orochimaru said.

"I'm sure that I'm interested in nothing that you have to say," Sasori said, about to kick the kickstand of the motercycle up.

"You'd better listen if you value the Uchiha's life," Orochimaru snapped. Sasori froze and his eyes turned cold on Sasori. Deidara smirked and the others felt a chill run up their spines.

"I don't think you have much of a threat there," Sasori said, his eyes darting to Shisui. "But go ahead...I'm listening."

"I want you to race for me," Orochimaru smirked. "You'll get more then you do in just a normal race. Deidara snorted and they turned to look at him. "What's so funny?"

"Sasori-Danna racing for someone?" Deidara smirked. "Now that's something _I _won't live to see."

"You'll be dead from cancer before I'm forced into a position to have you or myself race again," Sasori rolled his eyes. "C'mon brat. Don't keep me waiting. Itachi, you come too." Itachi stuffed his hands in his pockets and followed them, keeping on Sasori's left so that he was further away from Orochimaru.

"I didn't think you'd do this well danna," Deidara said. "Your skills haven't gone down the drain at all, yeah."

"You've seen him race before?" Itachi asked.

"Of course," Deidara rolled his eyes. "You never raced in Konoha, danna, yeah?"

"There were a lot of things I did in Iwagakure that I don't do in Konoha, Dei," Sasori said. "For example: dancing and racing. Are you going to spend the night at our place?"

"Actually, I was gonna ask Kisame..." Itachi said off handedly. "He thinks that he needs to keep an eye on me, so why not let him?"

"Good choice," Sasori nodded.

"What's up with these masks anyways? They don't really work," Deidara said. "And you took your masks off during the race."

"If the police come, there are several emergency exits for the racers," Sasori said. "Once we're done, the masks come back on. It's just a safety precaution, a dumb one but its better then worrying whether you're going to get arrested or not during a police bust."

"Nice job, Sasori... Itachi," Kisame said.

"Hey, Kisame..."

"Hmmm?"

"Can I stay at your place tonight?" Itachi asked.

"Sure, no problem," Kisame grinned. "What about you guys?"

"Sure," Kakuzu said off handedly. "Less gas money..."

"Sure as fucking hell yeah!" Hidan said.

"If I had-"

"Don't start!" they yelled at him.

"Well it's true," Kakuzu said, crossing his arms.

"You up for it?" Sasori asked, glancing at Deidara.

"Sure, yeah," Deidara shrugged. "Don't see why not."

"Then its settled. We'll meet back at my place," Kisame said.

"Hey, Itachi..." Deidara asked.

"What?"

"Aren't you gonna move that Leader guy's car, yeah?"

"Uh, no," Itachi said. "Some of his other guys will get it."

"Then why is danna bringing the bike back, yeah?"

"Because Sasori is a gentleman,"

"Hey, you! Shisui!" the man turned around and faced the shark like man.

"Yes?" he said calmly.

"Stay away from Itachi," Kisame glared at him. "He's got it hard enough without you complicating things in his life."

"Oh, its going to be a lot harder than a simple warning to keep me away from him," Shisui said. "And last time I checked...he seemed to want me to be near him." Kisame opened his mouth to retaliate but Shisui was already walking away from him.

"Kisame?"

"What?"

"Watch out for that boy and the red head," Shisui said. "Orochimaru's threats aren't idle and he doesn't play nice when someone denies his offers like your friend Sasori did earlier. I won't be around to help so I have to leave him to you."

"I don't need you to tell me," Kisame snapped. Shisui shrugged.

"Just warning you," he said, walking away with no trace of the present spat that just took place on him.

"Kisame..." Kakuzu said.

"I know," he said coldly.

"How in hell did fuckin' bastard find out Sasori's damn name?" Hidan asked.

"That's what we're all wondering...especially since he didn't have a chance to check with Orochimaru," Kisame said.

* * *

Me: Well how was that? I hope I did good!

Itachi: Hn, whatever. Stupid twists...

Me: Please review and tell me what you thought!


	9. The Pointless Set Up Chapter With Coffee

Me: This is pretty much a pointless chapter... but its a set up for the next chapter...

Itachi: But she feels like she owes you guys an update...that's true.

Sasori: But perhaps several of the things are important...

Kakuzu: If I had a dime for every day she didn't update-

All of us: We get the point, Kakuzu!

Disclaimer: I no own.

I believe that I have lost some readers since what, chapter seven? Anyways, thanks for sticking with this those of you who have! I really appreciate it!

Special thanks to my reviewers and the rest of the stuff on the button thing! You guys are awesome!

* * *

"Kisame..." Kakuzu said.

_"I know," he said coldly._

_"How in hell did fuckin' bastard find out Sasori's damn name?" Hidan asked._

_"That's what we're all wondering...especially since he didn't have a chance to check with Orochimaru," Kisame said._

"Hey, Itachi…" Kisame said.

"Hmmm?" Itachi grumbled sleepily, rolling over in the sleeping bag.

* * *

"That Shisui guy…"

"What about him?" Itachi muttered.

"He knew Sasori's name," Kisame said.

"Yeah, he'd obviously check up on me and find out that Sasori hangs out with us on the regular," Itachi said. "Why are you trying to start a conversation at two in the morning anyways?"

"Well the others are asleep and-"

"We're not asleep," Kakuzu spoke up.

"I was asleep yeah," Deidara muttered. "But then danna went to use the bathroom."

"He's a light sleeper," Sasori said.

"But I thought he slept like a fucking rock?" Hidan asked.

"You'd sleep like one too if the time differences were that big," Deidara groaned.

"So are you trying to give Itachi the sex talk?" Kakuzu asked. "If you give me fifty bucks, I'll take it off your hands."

"You covered that with me already- no let me rephrase that, you, Sasori, my mother and father, have covered that with me!" Itachi groaned.

"Really?" Deidara asked. "It was just danna and the guy who let me take stay at the garage who gave me the sex talk."

"I got the damn sex talk form fucking Kakuzu," Hidan snapped.

"Funny enough, so did I," Kisame said.

"Strangely enough…" Sasori muttered.

"Don't tell me that you heard it from him too," Deidara muttered, placing his head on Sasori's arm.

"No, I taught him that talk," Sasori said. There was an awkward silence.

"I hate you right now," Kisame muttered.

"I hate him too," Kakuzu said.

"He fucking taught you that damn speech," Hidan said.

"I didn't want to feel left out, damn it,"

"Yeah? Well I hate both of you," Itachi muttered, sprawling out on Deidara and Kakuzu, the blonde groaning.

"Itachi, don't suffocate Deidara," Sasori said.

"Thank you danna, yeah," Deidara muttered.

"If he dies, I will be questioned for being one of the last people with him and I will lose my job as a teacher,"

"On second thought, I take it back," Deidara muttered. "But you know I won't die like that, danna! I'm gonna go out with a bang! Like true art, yeah!"

"Not this again. I've told you; art is everlasting!"

"It is not! It's an explosion that lasts for a few moments and stuns the eyes!"

"Everlasting!"

"Fleeting!"

"Everlasting!"

"Fleeting!"

"Ever-!"

"Shut up!" they shouted at Deidara and Sasori. There was silence from the two before Deidara decided it was his job to break it.

"Get off me," he told Itachi, shoving him off of him and into Kakuzu's side. Itachi made a suffocating noise and Kakuzu looked at his side before rolling his eyes. Then Itachi grabbed Deidara's hand and easily pinned the blonde's hands to his sides, then proceeded to put most of his weight on him before lying flat on his chest.

"Itachi, you bastard! Get off of me!" Deidara snarled. "Danna!"

"Just push him off, Dei," Sasori said sleepily.

"He's fucking heavy, yeah!"

"You don't sound to mad about that,"

"Shut up, yeah!"

"Deidara…"

"Sasori-Danna!"

"Sasori-danna, damn it!" They all sat up and stared at Hidan, with the acceptation of Deidara and Itachi. They just turned their heads.

"What the hell…?" Kakuzu said.

"Indeed," Sasori said.

"Why…?" Kisame asked.

"I don't wanna know, yeah," Deidara said.

"I think we all agree on that," Itachi grumbled, collapsing heavily on Deidara, who groaned.

"Get off of me, damn it," Deidara said. Itachi let go of Deidara's wrists and rolled onto his side.

"He's always like that when he's tired," Kisame informed him.

"Like what?"

"Extremely clingy," Sasori said, sounding more like he was sleep talking then actually talking.

"You wouldn't think that at first glance, would you?" Kisame sighed.

"No, I didn't, yeah," Deidara muttered softly.

"Deidara's falling for Itachi," Kakuzu announced.

"I am not, damn it!"

"Shhh!" they shushed him. Deidara pouted and crossed his arms. Sasori turned around so he was on his stomach, his head facing the opposite way of Deidara and he put his arm over Deidara's chest in a manner so that his hand was on Deidara's shoulder furthest from him.

"Just sleep for right now and question him about it later," Sasori muttered. "I think you'll like his reaction."

"Why's that, yeah?" Deidara whispered, putting his hands on Sasori's arm.

"Because you'd act just like how he's going to if you ask him," Sasori smirked and the oldest members of the Akastuki who were present started laughing.

"You walked right into that!" Kisame snorted.

"Hell yeah!" Hidan said.

"The neighbors probably hate us," Kakuzu said. Sasori rolled his eyes.

"Speak for yourself," Sasori said.

"Ditto," Deidara muttered.

"Nng," Itachi said. They turned to look at the Uchiha. When they looked, he was a sleeping angel with a touch from of the devil himself.

"Let's go to sleep now…" Kisame sweat dropped.

"Mmm hmm," Deidara said.

"Yep," Kakuzu said.

"Uh huh," Sasori said.

"Couldn't have thought of a fucking better-"

"Hidan!"

"Fucking fine already, jeez…"

"Goodnight,"

"Goodnight,"

"Don't let the bed bugs-"

"Just fucking shut up and go the hell to sleep!" Hidan shouted. There was silence and then this time, they really did go to sleep.

* * *

Itachi's eyes fluttered open and he looked around him. He saw Kisame snoring loudly, Hidan talking in his sleep, Sasori with his hand trapped on Deidara's chest by one of Deidara's hand, and Deidara… Deidara was sleeping and his other hand was a pillow for Itachi's head.

Itachi felt himself blush and he got up slowly, staring at Deidara for a minute before going into Kisame's kitchen. He grabbed his jacket and cell phone. He stared at the number in front of him.

"Itachi?" Itachi jumped and turned around swiftly, regaining his cool when he saw it was just Sasori.

"Sasori…" Itachi said.

"What're you doing up so late? It's not like you when we're at Kisame's place," Sasori noted, digging through the cupboards. "Coffee?"

"Sure," Itachi shrugged.

"Are you going to actually drink it or just smell it?" Sasori asked.

"What do you care?"

"You shouldn't waste good coffee,"

"Since when does Kisame have good coffee?"

"I see your point," Sasori said. "So what are you doing up so early?"

"Don't know," Itachi shrugged. "Just couldn't sleep. What about you?"

"I woke up when you closed the door," Sasori said.

"I knew there was a reason Kisame ended up with whip cream on his face when he tried to put it on you as a prank…" Itachi said. Sasori smirked.

"Did you expect any less of me?"

"No, I expected Kisame to get thrown out of the room,"

"I was going to…but Hidan was there too," Sasori said. "And it was too early to be throwing people out of rooms."

"Too early for you?" Itachi scoffed.

"Don't look at me like that. I had only gotten an hour of sleep that night," Sasori said.

"How do you remember?" Itachi asked.

"Because it was hopefully the one and only time that I had ran into a wall and people had seen me do it," Sasori muttered, placing a cup of coffee in front of Itachi.

"You ran into a wall?" Itachi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't say that, you'd be a hypocrite," Sasori pointed out, taking a sip of the hot liquid. Itachi glared at him and inhaled the scent of the coffee.

"Ow!" Sasori and Itachi turned to a blonde sitting on the floor, rubbing his head.

"On second thought…" Sasori muttered.

"It never happened," Itachi muttered.

"Agreed," he nodded and they both turned back to their coffee.

"Man, what's up with you two?" Deidara muttered. "Why are you up so freaking early, yeah?"

"Because," Sasori said, taking a sip of coffee. Deidara stared at him blankly for a minute before yawning and taking the coffee from Sasori's hands.

"Thank you," he said, sitting down at the counter and drinking Sasori's coffee. Sasori rolled his eyes and took his coffee back.

"Drink Itachi's," Sasori said. "He's just smelling it." Deidara made a pouting face at his danna and obliged, taking Itachi's coffee.

"Hey," Itachi protested but he took no means to try and take the coffee back.

"Hey is for horses, Itachi," Kisame yawned. "Why's everyone up so early?"

"Itachi," Sasori said.

"Them, yeah," Deidara shrugged.

"Blah," Itachi said.

"'Blah'? That's the most un-Itachi like thing I've ever heard," Sasori said.

"Wasn't he awake awhile ago?" Kisame asked, poking him.

"You know how he is in the mornings," Sasori said. "Unresponsive and simply out of it."

"But he seemed fine up until Kisame came in, yeah," Deidara said.

"Hey, are you suggesting that I make him unresponsive and simply out of it?" Kisame asked. "I'm insulted." The rest chose to ignore him.

"I'm going to be gone for a couple of hours, Dei," Sasori was saying. "Keep out of trouble, won't you?"

"Do I have a choice, danna, yeah?" Deidara raised an eyebrow. "Where you going, yeah?"

"Out," Sasori said simply.

"So you're leaving with me with these guys, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"You could always go to Granny Chiyo,"

"I'll think on it, yeah," Deidara said.

"I'm gonna go out too," Itachi said.

"Anywhere I can go, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"No, I'm just going home and then a few places from there," Itachi said.

"Then why can't I go yeah?" Deidara asked.

"Because I'm doing a drug exchange and you'd be too obvious," Itachi said. Kisame stared at him, Sasori glared at him, and Deidara…well Deidara rolled his eyes.

"You fucking liar," Deidara rolled his eyes.

"Got it in one," Itachi smirked.

"That wasn't funny, Itachi," Sasori said, his glare unrelenting.

"Got that right," Kisame muttered.

"How'd you call it?" Itachi asked.

"Police chief's son? Perfect grades, supposedly perfect life, and an older brother?" Deidara scoffed. "If anything, you'd be doing drugs, not dealing them."

"And he'd better not be doing either of them," Sasori snapped.

"Relax, Sasori, I'm not," Itachi rolled his eyes. "And don't give me the speech about Deidara's probation." Deidara choked on his coffee and Sasori frowned.

"How'd you find out about that?" he asked.

"He's from Iwa," Itachi shrugged. "Probation originated there."

"Brat," Sasori muttered. "I'm out. I'll pick you up in a few hours, Dei."

"Alright danna," Deidara said.

"Hey, Sasori," Itachi called. Sasori paused and looked at the Uchiha.

"What?" he asked.

"Give me a ride home?" Itachi asked.

"Don't keep me waiting," Sasori walked out calmly, Itachi walking out after him after slipping his feat into his shoes.

"Did he go to bed with his clothes on?" Kisame asked.

"Probably, yeah," Deidara shrugged. "Either way it doesn't concern me…want some toast?"

"I'm going to tell you right now, Itachi, no more jokes like that," Sasori warned.

"Alright, I got it already," Itachi rolled his eyes. "Don't you think you're being a little to overprotective of him?"

"No. You know how clean Konoha is- especially compared to Iwagakure," Sasori snapped, starting the car up. "And your dad's the head of the police- I don't care how loose knit your family is. I am not letting Deidara out of my town range again if I can help it." Itachi was quiet for a minute.

"Those teaching jobs for the summer that you went on…they were to go see him, weren't they?" Itachi asked.

"Yes," Sasori said icily. "He landed himself in jail, believe it or not."

"I believe you," Itachi said. They glanced at each other before they started laughing.

"Man, I haven't argued with you like that since I moved here," Sasori snorted.

"I remember, I remember," Itachi snickered. "Let's see…I called you a dirty Iwa druggie, right?"

"That got me riled up…I don't think I'd gotten that riled up since Deidara landed himself in the slammer for the first time!" Sasori grinned. Then they faded into their stoic selves.

"That was very unlike us…" Itachi commented.

"Indeed it was…" Sasori said.

"We won't tell anyone about this conversation…"

"Not a soul…"

"So…"

"So…"

"Where are you going?" Itachi asked.

"To get something for Dei," Sasori said.

"He obviously didn't know that…"

"It's a surprise. What about you?"

"Just the normal spots for me, you know…the park, the ice cream parlor… teach Deidara how to dance, will you?"

"I'll get around to it," Sasori said.

* * *

Me: Like I said, pretty much pointless chapter but it's a set up for the next one! I promise!

Itachi: She's crazy...has anyone noticed that?

Me: Anyways, please review!

Deidara: And say art is fleeting!

Sasori: Everlasting, dang it brat!

Deidara: Fleeting!

Sasori: Ever-

Kakuzu and Hidan: Just shut the hell up!

Kisame: I believe there's more cussing in this story then kaitouahiru...or most people for that matter, have used in their life...

Me (sweat drops): I think you're right...so please review...and tell us whose right, Dei or Sasori?


	10. Another Set Up Chapter With Lies In It

Me: Sheesh, I have not updated in forever! I'm really sorry! The computer wasn't working and I had a writer's block for awhile so forgive me on that, will you?

Disclaimer: I no own.

Oh and I almost forgot, thanks to black55widow, fleeting art won.

Deidara: Awesome! See, Sasori-danna, I told you!

Sasori: There was only one person who participated, brat...

Itachi: Ignore them and I'm not going to say please so just read and review.

Me:-sweat drop- what he said except I'm saying please read and review.

* * *

_"Where are you going?" Itachi asked._

_"To get something for Dei," Sasori said._

_"He obviously didn't know that…"_

_"It's a surprise. What about you?"_

_"Just the normal spots for me, you know…the park, the ice cream parlor… teach Deidara how to dance, will you?"_

_"I'll get around to it," Sasori said._

* * *

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Sasori grumbled as he walked into the garage. "I'm practically handing him a death sentence..."

"I'm surprised you're here, Sasori," Kabuto said, looking up from his book. "Oh, don't worry. Orochimaru doesn't know I'm here. He doesn't know about this place."

"What are you doing here?" Sasori asked coldly.

"I work here on my spare time," Kabuto said. "You can relax around me _here_, you know."

"I'd rather not," Sasori answered. "I think I'll take my business else where..." He turned to leave.

"Sasori, he really isn't here," Kabuto answered. "He isn't," he repeated when Sasori looked at him wierdly.

"And how do I know you won't do something to the vehicle I buy?"

"You'd check it one hundred times over before you'd buy it," Kabuto rolled his eyes.

"Fine. What've you got for me then?" Sasori asked. Kabuto smiled in a way that it was almost a smirk and pushed his glasses up.

"Follow me, Akasuna," Kabuto said.

* * *

"Well that went well," Itachi said as Sasori drove off. "Mom, Sasuke, are you home? Sasuke, I see your shoes at the door."

"I'm up here, Itachi!" Sasuke shouted.

"Do you have a friend over?" Itachi asked, climbing the stairs.

"Yeah, its Gaara," Sasuke said.

"Hello Gaara," Itachi said when he saw the red head in his brother's room.

"Hello, Itachi," Gaara said.

"Where is he?" Itachi asked.

"He said he was going to get something from your bathroom but..." Gaara said.

"He told you not to go after him..." Itachi sighed, going into his room. "Sasuke, where are you? Are you alright?"

"Itachi, help..." Sasuke said.

"How'd you get stuck in my clothes hamper?" Itachi asked.

"I tripped..."

"You just woke up, of course," Itachi sighed. Sort of like his clingy behavior at night time and rare times during the day, Sasuke was extremely clumsy after he just woke up. "Why didn't you just call Gaara to-oh."

"Yeah," Sasuke blushed.

"So did he ask you to the dance or the other way around?" Itachi asked, leaning against the wall.

"Well..." Sasuke blushed. "He asked me..."

"Oh?" Itachi raised an eyebrow. "And you said yes...you really must tell me the story."

"Can you get me out of here first?"

"Nope," Itachi smirked.

"But it stinks in here!"

"Well then you should have had Gaara help you," Itachi said and then he raised his voice. "Gaara, I'm gonna keep Sasuke in here for a bit longer! Help yourself to anything in the fridge!"

"...Alright," Gaara answered.

"Aniki," Sasuke whined.

"The sooner you talk, the sooner you get out of the hamper," Itachi said.

"Fine! You're evil," Sasuke grumbled.

"No, I'm you're older brother," Itachi said. "Now start talking."

* * *

_"Hey Sasuke! Who're ya going to the home coming dance with?" Naruto grinned. Sasuke almost groaned aloud. He raised his head from his arms, glaring at the blond idiot._

_"No one. I'm not going," Sasuke said. "I told you this already."_

_"But Sasuke!" Sakura protested. "My sister is going with your brother! We have-!"_

_"He is not going with her!" Sasuke snapped. "He doesn't like her! Just accept that!" 'Plus, he's gay and so am I,' he thought, almost smirking at the irony._

_"I'll go with you, Sakura!" Naruto grinned but Sakura ignored him. Sasuke grumbled to himself as he checked over his math homework. Nothing except perfect was accepted at the Uchiha household and Itachi didn't need the extra attention from their father._

_"Uchiha," Sasuke looked up at the shadow darkening his homework._

_"Yeah?" he grunted, looking up. He fought the blush that he knew was coming._

_"Kurenai-sensei would like to see you," Gaara said. _

_"Oh, alright," Sasuke said._

_"I'll go with you Sasuke!" Sakura squealed._

_"Uh, no, Sakura-" Sasuke began to protest._

_"That's all right, Haruno. I think that I'm sufficient company...besides, I have something to discuss with him anyways," Gaara said._

_"A-al-al-Alright," Sakura stuttered. Sasuke acutally managed to look at the red head without blushing and he saw why she had been reduced to a stuttering mess. Gaara hadn't exactly glared at her but it was enought to freak Sakura out. Naruto, who of course, was dense as ever, didn't really notice anything. He had been Sasuke and Gaara's friend long enough to withstand some of the glare power._

_"Well let's go," Sasuke spoke up, putting his homework in a notebook. Gaara had something between a smile and a smirk plastered on his face as he led him away._

_"Um, Gaara, Kurenai-sensei's room is that way," Sasuke said, indicating to the hallway that Gaara passed. Gaara stopped and regarded him cooly._

_"Do you really think Kurenai wants you, a straight 'A' student, at lunch when you have her next period?" Gaara asked._

_"No," Sasuke admitted. "So what do you want then?"_ _Gaara moved quickly, so quickly that Sasuke's eyes barely had time to comprehend what was going on as he was pushed against the wall. He felt soft lips on his own and before he had time to react, Gaara pulled back._

_"I want to go to the dance with you. What do you say?" Gaara smirked. Sasuke was too shocked to speak so he just nodded._

_"Good," Gaara said, kissing him again._

_

* * *

_

"Kid's got guts," Itachi said, giving an appreciative glance at the wall where Gaara was on the other side.

"So are you going to get me out of here or not?" Sasuke demanded. Itachi snickered and grabbed his brother's feet, pulling him out with ease and dumping him on the bed.

"Now get out of here. I'm gonna change and then I'm going out again," Itachi ordered.

"Alright," Sasuke said. He went out of his brother's room and closed the door behind him. He sighed and closed his eyes tightly. He had elaborated on the story a bit...

_

* * *

_

_"No," Sasuke admitted. "So what do you want then?" Gaara moved quickly, so quickly that Sasuke's eyes barely had time to comprehend what was going on as he was pushed against the wall. _

_"I knew it," Gaara said quietly into his ear. "You aren't wearing contacts like you tell everybody. Your black eyes bleed into red. There was no way that your eyes went crimson in one second and then black the next with contacts." Sasuke shook with anger- he could tell that his eyes were red now._

_"Yeah? So what about it?" he challenged._

_"Your brother's eye sight is worse then yours," Gaara said._

_"You think I don't know that?" Sasuke demanded._

_"The angrier you get, the deeper the red..." Gaara mused. "In your brother's case, they're already a wine red-"_

_"His eyes can still get redder, if that's what your asking," Sasuke spat. "Now what the hell do you want?!" Gaara regarded him for a second before he grabbed Sasuke's chin and pressed his lips against the Uchiha's. When he pulled away, Sasuke could feel his eyes draining of the red color._

_'So Uncle was right...' he thought and then paused before answering. "I want to tell you that my uncle thinks that your eyes turning red aren't just a birth defect-"_

_"Well that's because it's not," Sasuke snapped._

_"What?" Gaara asked startled._

_"It's not," Sasuke repeated. "Mom doesn't know and my father probably doesn't know that Itachi and I know either... but he experimented on her womb when she was pregnant with Itachi. Itachi was supposed to have this great gift that came with an old legend in our family. I didn't get as much of it as Itachi did because I just got remains of it...Itachi got the worst."_

_"I'm sorry..." Gaara said._

_"Don't be sorry...just go to the dance with me," Gaara stared surprised at the Uchiha. Who knew the kid was so gutsy?...oh, right, he did._

_"Why should I?" Gaara asked. "I have your secret, not the other way around."_

_"You'll go because I asked," Sasuke hissed. "And its the least you can do for-" he cut himself off, looking away while blushing heatedly._

_"For?" Gaara encouraged. When Sasuke didn't answer he got annoyed. "Uchiha-"_

_"You stole my first kiss," Sasuke snapped, pushing the red head away from him. Gaara took several steps back, surprised at the Uchiha's strength. If he had that kind of strength, why hadn't he used it before? He realized that the Uchiha was still staring at him for an answer and he didn't look like he was going to take no for an answer._

_"Fine then," Gaara smirked, grabbing the Uchiha's hand and pulling him into his chest. Sasuke let out an undignified 'eep' and looked up at Gaara (who he noticed to his displeasure was an inch taller) with a combination of curiousity and shyness._

_"I'll go to the dance with you. But don't think too much of it," Gaara smirked, leaning down to whisper in his ear. "After all, you're just like all the rest." Sasuke glared at Gaara and grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him down to meet in a kiss. Gaara's eyes widened when the Uchiha began deepening the kiss on his own, so surprised, that it took him a minute to respond. He almost glared at Sasuke when the younger pulled away from him._

_"Don't bet on it," Sasuke warned, walking away._

_

* * *

_

Okay so he elaborated a lot...

* * *

Itachi knew he was going to have to talk to Gaara soon but he decided to leave it for another day. He just wanted to go back out and do what he had originally planned to do.

He changed out of his clothes, instead slipping on dark blue jeans, a white shirt, and a black sweatshirt, wincing as he noticed the bruises on his torso. They had turned a sickly yellow color almost. He then shook his head and exited his room, knocking on Sasuke's door.

"Yeah?" Sasuke asked, opening it.

"I'm going out again, Sasuke," Itachi said. "Is mom home?"

"She went out to pick up some groceries," Sasuke said.

"You didn't go with her?" Itachi asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's unusual behavior for you..." Sasuke blushed and looked away.

"It's nothing...really, its nothing," Sasuke insisted when Itachi looked at him doubtfully.

"You know what, I'm going to have that talk with him now," Itachi said, walking past Sasuke, ignoring the younger's protests of "What talk?"

"You come with me," Itachi ordered. Gaara got up easily. He had been expecting 'the talk' that Temari and Kankuro had warned him about. The older Uchiha's protectiveness of his little brother was known. He settled for raising a non existant eyebrow when Itachi grabbed the chair to Sasuke's desk. He followed the older Uchiha out the door, after looking at the brothers in confusion when Itachi dumped Sasuke on his bed and walked out before him. Gaara's eyes flashed with recognition and dull admiration when Itachi blocked off the door by putting the chair slanted under the door knob. Clever.

"So you wanted to talk?" Gaara asked.

"What did you do?" Itachi asked.

"Nothing," Gaara said.

"He didn't go grocery shopping with my mother. He loves mother-son stuff like that. So I ask again: what did you do?" Itachi hissed.

"I didn't do anything. When I came over, your mom asked if I wanted to stay for dinner. I said as long as I wasn't intruding because my uncle is the only one who can cook at home besides Temari and they're busy tonight," Gaara said. "And there is no way I'm eating Kankuro's cooking or my own."

"And he didn't make you go with them to go shopping?" Itachi asked, still suspicious.

"I told him he could go if he wanted," Gaara said. "He just said it was alright and then whispered to your mom something the lines of 'next time.'"

"Look, I don't care who you think you are...but you will not interrupt my brother's life style just because you asked him to a dance-" Itachi asked.

"Is that what he told you?" Gaara asked. "That I asked him?"

"Yes, it is... why is there something I don't know?" Itachi asked.

"I didn't ask him. He asked me," Gaara said.

"What?" Itachi choked out after a minute of silence.

"He asked me," Gaara repeated.

"Why would he lie to me?" Itachi asked, only now hearing the pounding from behind the door.

"Beats me," Gaara shrugged. "Why do you think he would lie to you?"

"He wouldn't...unless..." Itachi said.

* * *

-Flashback-

_"Foolish otouto," Itachi said. "You're supposed to finish the homework before you go to sleep…"_

_"Ngh…" Sasuke said. "Itachi? Aren't you supposed to be asleep?"_

_"Shouldn't you have finished your homework before you slept?" Itachi asked. "If father found out-"_

_"I know…I'm sorry. I haven't been getting any sleep lately," Sasuke told him, looking at his homework._

_"And why not?" Itachi asked._

_"I don't know…well, I do know. I've been having this nightmare over and over," Sasuke said, still not looking at him._

_"And what's it about?"_

_"Y…you're with someone- I can't tell who. You're screaming and he is too, I can tell it's a boy because the voice is to deep to be a girl's but you're screaming at someone and you're leaning over me…I'm half conscious. Then a gun gets fired and…and then I wake up," Sasuke said._

_"Well why didn't you tell me?" Itachi asked._

_"You seemed so stressed lately and with what's been going on with father-"_

_-End Flashback_

_

* * *

_

"Unless he was worried about me being stressed..." Itachi cursed. "This conversation never happened. Got it?" Gaara nodded curtly and then sweat dropped as Itachi removed the hair and moved out of the way. Sasuke fell through the now open door.

"You and I... need to have a talk later," Itachi growled. "I'll be back sooner or later. I've got my cell." Sasuke looked after his brother, confused, as the older one walked away.

"What did you tell him?" Sasuke demanded.

"I told him what you didn't," Gaara said. "C'mon, it can't be that-" he was cut off by Sasuke slamming him against the wall.

"Dammit, Gaara. Its one thing to stare down my father until he gets nervous around you and leaves...but it is a whole other thing when you get my brother involved," Sasuke hissed. "Just because you're a heartless bastard when it comes to relationships with your own family, doesn't mean you need to make my relations with Itachi and my mom's like yours." He pushed off of Gaara, running after Itachi.

"Itachi!" he shouted.

Gaara fell to his knees, staring at the floor. He put his chin on one knee and then he leaned his head on the wall, staring at the ceiling.

"A heartless bastard, huh?" Gaara chuckled but the laugh didn't reach his eyes. "Sasuke Uchiha, you have no idea..." _'No idea how much I care about you...'_

"Itachi! Itachi, wait!" Sasuke shouted but his brother was already speeding out of the driveway.

"Damn it..." Sasuke said, leaning against the door frame. "Damn it all..."

* * *

Me: Okay, long update for long time being gone. Don't worry, I'm working on the next chapter already.

Deidara: Where was I in this chapter?

Sasori: What happened to me?

Me: Well, I think for several more chapters, its going to be mostly about Itachi. Now I know there aren't a lot of Sasuke fans since the uh...new season, shippuden, right? But Sasuke is NOT emo in this, seriously! And I know that I focused the story on him a lot for this chapter but he and Gaara are going to be important to the story a bit later on so I needed to introduce them to the story better.

Itachi: So where did I go?

Me: You'll find out next chapter- its mostly about you anyways.

Deidara: Review, yeah!


	11. He Said Come Here And I Said Run There

Me: I liked writing this chapter:)

Itachi: I do not act like that...

Me: You are tired. Go to sleep.

Shisui: I show up in this chapter?

Konan: Please read and review.

Disclaimer: I no own.

* * *

_"A heartless bastard, huh?" Gaara chuckled but the laugh didn't reach his eyes. "Sasuke Uchiha, you have no idea..." 'No idea how much I care about you...'_

_"Itachi! Itachi, wait!" Sasuke shouted but his brother was already speeding out of the driveway._

_"Damn it..." Sasuke said, leaning against the door frame. "Damn it all..."_

* * *

Itachi opened the door to his car and went into the ice cream parlor. He didn't really care that he hadn't really ate anything today... he was to upset.

"What can I get you today?" the waitress asked, winking flirtatiously as she put down a menu in front of him.

"He's gay and I'd like a small vanilla milkshake. He'll have two scoops of orange sherbert ice cream with marshmellow topping, a cherry and hold the whipped cream..." the women from the table next to his said. "Isn't that right, Itachi?"

"Konan?" Itachi asked, surprised.

"That's right," she smiled and then told the waitress coldly when she didn't show any sign of leaving. "Don't you have something else to do? Like get our orders ready?"

"Of course, my apologies," the waitress said, not sounding sorry at all but instead disappointed (A/N: Who wouldn't be?).

"Someone's a little snippy today," Itachi noted as the normally blue haired women moved to sit across from him. "What's with the hair? Was there a reason to suddenly dye your hair black?"

"It's that time of the month, baby boy," she said fondly and then lowered her voice. "I didn't dye my hair, it's just a wig…I did a little thing to offend the police, nothing to major- in a different wig of course." Itachi backed up a little in his seat. He knew that Konan was dangerous without it being that time... Now that it was...he shuddered to think about it.

Itachi frowned in mock disapproval at the nick name. Konan was almost like a second mother to him. He wouldn't call her 'sister' because they rarely fought.

"So what's eating you?" Konan asked after the waitress had brought their orders and left.

"Beg your pardon?" Itachi asked, taking a bite.

"What's wrong?" Konan simplified, sipping her milkshake through the straw.

"I...Sasuke lied to me," Itachi said. "How do you drink through a straw without getting lipstick on it?"

"Really? About what?" Konan asked. "It's a women's gift, Itachi."

"He lied to me about getting asked to the dance," Itachi said. "Waterproof makeup?"

"Why would he need to lie about that? I've seen the girls with you two around. I'm sure that younger Haruno is whoring herself to go with him," Konan said. "It'd still smudge, Itachi…well, probably." Itachi smirked. But he was quiet as he finished his ice cream.

"He told me he got asked by Gaara,"

"Sabaku?" Konan startled and then regained her cool. "Puh-lease. That boy's not exactly anti-social but he's not about to ask someone to a dance-"

"Here's your check," The waitress said. She cringed when Konan glared at her. Itachi didn't bother.

"I've got them," Konan said as Itachi reached into his pocket.

"It's on me," Itachi said, shaking his head. "Can't have Leader on my ass for this…" Konan rolled her eyes and gave him a small smile as he handed the waitress the exact change.

"Since when do you give exact change?" Konan asked.

"Since I didn't want that waitress coming back," Itachi said.

"Itachi…you're not scared of Pein are you?" Konan asked. Itachi sighed.

"Shouldn't I be? He's stronger then me," Itachi said. Konan frowned in disapproval.

"I guess that makes sense… So what's this about Sasuke and Sabaku?"

"Sasuke asked him...and apparently, he's hiding something else from me," Itachi frowned.

"Uchiha, Itachi!" Both Konan and Itachi jumped slightly.

"F-father," Itachi gulped.

"You're coming with me," Fugaku said, looking pissed off, grabbing his oldest son's arm.

"Unhand him!" Konan said. "He hasn't done anything!" But her protests went on deaf ears as he dragged his son out of the ice cream parlor. Itachi saw her hand reach into her purse and he knew what the skilled woman was going to do.

"Don't, Konan!" Itachi shouted. "Call Kisame-" but he was shoved into the car.

"What are these?" he demanded as he slammed the door to the driver's seat and shoved photos in Itachi's face. Itachi froze as he saw what was on them.

He was grinding against Deidara, hard, sexually...it made him lick his dry lips, remembering that night. But then he shook his head. He needed to concentrate on the reality. He was in danger if he confirmed it...but if his father had confirmed it and he said it wasn't him, he'd be even worse off. So this was no time to be aroused about a memory of Deidara looking hot and- wait, _what_? What the _hell _had he just _thought?_

"I-I-I went out," Itachi said. "Just to a club, father! I was just dancing-" the car's engine roared dangerously as Fugaku started it up.

"I told you I didn't want you with him! I've given you a lot of lenience about being gay, Itachi but now you can just-" Itachi decided to do something extremely stupid or extremely brave, depending on how it was looked at. He slammed his father's head forward into the steering wheel through the hole presented by the seat and the head rest (he thanked his mother for signing him up for karate class) and opened the car door to the head of police's car and ran to his own car.

"Tell Kisame I'll be alright!" Itachi shouted as he ran towards his car. "I'll be with _him_- he'll know who!"

"Itachi-!" Konan shouted.

"Get out of here, Konan!" Itachi shouted. "Go! Hurry!" She glanced at the Uchiha's father, getting out of the car, very pissed off and followed his advice. A gun shot fired and Itachi paused to look back. 'Don't let it hit Konan,' he prayed. Then as he looked to his other side, he saw that the shot had but a warning for him, not her.

"Call me!" she shouted. Itachi nodded and didn't hesitate to slam the door of his car. He heard another shot go off. Without bothering to put his seat belt on, he started up the engine and sped away, thankful that traffic today wasn't that bad as he went over the speed limit. Using his right hand, he put on his seat belt and then took out his cell phone.

"Hello?" Sasuke answered.

"Sasuke, I need you to have a bag of my clothes waiting for me when I get home- hurry, it's an emergency," Itachi said.

"What? Why, what's wrong?" Sasuke asked.

"Father's mad at me and this time if he gets a hold of me…well, I don't think I'll live through it," Itachi said glumly. "Mom's not home yet, is she?"

"No, she went to a friend's house. Why is he mad at you?" Sasuke asked.

"Are you packing my stuff?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered.

"He saw me- well, pictures of me…dancing with someone… someone he didn't want me hanging around," Itachi said. "And he's pissed."

"Maybe mom can talk to him-"

"No!" Itachi said. "In the state he's in, he might hurt her if he finds out that she knows. Hold on, I'm going to drift." He heard Sasuke shout "What's drifting?! Itachi, are you okay?!" through the phone as he dropped the cell phone into his pocket and put his hand on the hand break.

"Sorry about that, you there?" Itachi asked, once he was speeding along the hill again.

"Yeah, what happened?"

"I'm trying to get father off my tail and I think it's worked," Itachi said. "Be at the front door waiting for me. Is Gaara still there?"

"Yeah, he is,"

"Let me talk to him," Itachi ordered.

"But-"

"Now, Sasuke,"

"Alright…Gaara, my…" he couldn't hear anymore of the conversation as the phone was switched between handlers.

"Hello?"

"Gaara, this is Itachi,"

"I figured,"

"Listen, I need Sasuke to stay at your house for a couple of days…maybe even a couple of weeks, I'm not sure. Tell my mom that he's at your house and make sure she knows not to tell my father," Itachi ordered. There was a pause.

"Is everything alright?" Gaara asked.

"No," Itachi said.

"Why do I need to take him to my place?" Gaara asked.

"Because if I'm not there, that bastard who calls himself our father is going to take whatever anger he has on Sasuke…and I can't take him where I plan to go. Can you keep him safe for me?"

"Yes I can," Gaara said.

"Good. Get him to pack his stuff and when I get there, just get in the car. No questions asked. I'll drive you to your place- don't worry, Sasuke can cook," Itachi said. "And get a piece of paper with your number and address on it for me so I can call him…"

"Alright. Anything else?"

"Make sure he leaves his cell phone at the house. I don't want Fugaku tracing it," Itachi said.

"Aren't you worried about your mother?" Gaara asked.

"No, she'll be fine. He won't hurt her. That I'm sure of," Itachi said. "Get his stuff ready."

* * *

"Sasori! Sasori!" Konan shouted as she saw the man driving into the driveway to his house. Sasori slammed on the breaks as Konan practically through herself at the car. He turned off the engine and got out of the car.

"Konan, what the hell is wrong with you?! I could have-" he was cut off as she hugged him, crying into his chest.

"Ita-Itachi!" she said, practically sobbing. "His dad- his dad-"

"What about his dad?" Sasori demanded. "C'mon, Konan! Talk to me!"

"His dad might kill him this time, Sasori!" Konan screamed. "Where's Kisame? I need to find Kisame-"

"What's all the ruckus out here, danna?" Sasori and Konan looked at the blonde, who was gathering his hair to put into a ponytail.

"Deidara, get-" Sasori was cut off as Konan fell limply into his arms.

"What's wrong with her?!" Deidara demanded as he rushed to Sasori's side, forgetting about his hair.

"Call the hospital," Sasori said. "She's been shot."

* * *

Shisui opened his eyes drowsily as he heard the door bell... ringing...persistently.

"Go away..." he grumbled, not really caring about the fact that the person on the other side of the door couldn't hear him. "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" he got up, almost tripping over the blanket as he got up. Damn, he really wasn't a morning person... never mind that it was midnight...that counted as morning, right? He opened the door, prepared to yell at the offending person who interrupted his sleep.

"What?!" he practically shouted then he saw who was at the door. "Itachi? What's wrong? Why are you here? Why do you look upset…?"

The teenager had a tired look on his face that didn't belong there. He looked worn out and uncomfortable, looking at the ground.

"Can…Can I stay here…for awhile?" Itachi asked weakly. "I-I mean, I don't know for how long but-" Shisui sighed and made way for Itachi.

"Come on in," Shisui said. "I'll take your things. The bed's open…I'll sleep on the couch-"

"I don't want to put you out of your way-" Itachi said, moving towards the couch and then he was picked up by strong arms.

"Itachi, you're sleeping on the bed," Shisui ordered. "You need it, so just…sleep. You can tell me what's going on later but right now, you need to rest."

* * *

Pein stared at the woman breathing in and out with seemingly no outward emotion. On the inside, he was a wreck. How could this happen? Where was Itachi? What lengths would Fugaku go to to get to his son? ...What would happen to them when he undoubtebly tried to find his eldest son? Was Itachi's little brother going to be alright? What was going to happen to the Akatsuki? Hell, what was going to happen with Deidara? This was no time for initiations...

A hand on his shoulder made him look up. Sasori was also staring at Konan.

"Where...where did the bullet hit her?" He asked, swallowing hard.

"Her back, pretty close to her spinal cord," Sasori said. "She's stable now but..." Sasori didn't need to finish the sentence. Konan had been in a coma for almost two weeks... if she didn't wake up soon...

"I don't want to leave her but..." Pein choked. "I can't leave the Akatsuki unprotected..." Sasori was quiet for a minute.

"We can take care of ourselves..." Sasori said. "Hidan and Kakuzu can room together for awhile...Kisame can stay with Deidara and me..."

"How's he taking it?" Pein asked.

"Kisame?" Sasori asked. "He's-"

"No, not Kisame...Deidara, your blonde friend," Pein said.

"Dei's...Deidara's been pretty quiet lately...and extremely irritable," Sasori winced. "He's always working on something and he won't show me...I'm getting worried about him."

"Kisame?"

"He's still in shock," Sasori answered. "Itachi isn't returning any of his calls...any of our calls." Pein took a moment to consider this.

"Tell Kisame to stop calling- the rest of them as well..." he said.

"Why?" Sasori asked, removing his hand from Pein's shoulder because he was cut off guard. "If-"

"It's been ten days since he's gone missing. If he wanted to get into contact with us, he would have. He's smart. He probably threw his cell phone into the lake so Fugaku wouldn't be able to trace it... I'm sure that he's taken measures to protect Sasuke as well," he said. Sasori was quiet.

"How can you be sure?" he asked.

"I can't be but I know him- his personality... He'll call soon," Pein said. "By the way, what did your friend do back in Iwa?" Sasori winced.

"He was a bomb expert," Sasori said coldly. Pein smirked.

"Perfect,"

* * *

(A/N: Warning: very small Shisui/Itachi ahead)

"Feeling better?" Shisui asked as he saw Itachi eating his food reguarly like a person should.

"I guess so," Shisui smiled discreetly. At least now he was getting sentences out of the stoic boy...or was that a fragment?

"So are you going to tell me what happened?" Shisui asked. Itachi paused as he brought the next scoop of rice to his mouth. He shook his head and put the rice into his mouth, clamming up again. Shisui sighed. Now they were back to square one.

"Alright, fine, don't tell me... but you're going to have to eventually, Itachi," Shisui warned him.

"...I know," he said quietly. Shisui raised an eyebrow. Okay...square two.

"Does it have anything to do with your crushed cell phone?" he asked, not liking the fact that he had to resort to that kind of tactic. Itachi looked up sharply, his eyes narrowing. Shisui frowned in confusion as the obsidian orbs began to bleed into a suspicious red.

"I threw that in the river," he said.

"That would explain why it was all wet," Shisui said. "I checked the river bend when I saw that your father was looking for you- don't worry, I haven't told anyone you're here." Itachi relaxed a little bit.

"I still don't want to talk about it," Itachi said quietly.

"Alright, fine," Shisui said. "But your friends are probably worried. I'll take you to a race later on and you can call them from a pay phone...make sure not to leave finger prints...don't worry, Orochimaru won't be there." Itachi looked at Shisui curiously as he made his way over to him. How did the man seem to know everything he was thinking?

"Don't take to long, Uchiha, Itachi," Shisui advised as he cupped Itachi's cheek and gave him a gentle kiss. Itachi craned his neck, hoping to catch Shisui's lips again but the man pulled back. Shisui gave him a small smile before leaving the room- and leaving Itachi to his thoughts.

* * *

Me: So what'd you guys think of this one? Sorry if Konan's out of character but I've only read fanfiction about her... actually I've only read fanfiction about most of the Akatsuki...

Deidara: When does Itachi come home?

Me: Can't tell you!

Itachi:...just let the readers review already...


	12. Him and The Cigarette Or Me?

Me: Okay, wow! Chapter 12! When I first made this story I thought I'd be able to wrap it up with like...I dunno, fifteen chapters but now I see that that isn't going to happen...or will be very unlikely... again, 12 chapters...wow...

Itachi: Ignore her she's in slight awe.

Me: Okay, and we finally get the main couple back together- as in the same room! ...and doing other stuff that you will find out if you read... And it only took me what... two to three chapters?

Deidara: And if the lyrics repeat, then the things are happening at the same time. And you can't follow the lyrics with the song... kaitouahiru does not have that much patience to try and match the song with the story.

Disclaimer: I no own.

* * *

_"I still don't want to talk about it," Itachi said quietly._

_"Alright, fine," Shisui said. "But your friends are probably worried. I'll take you to a race later on and you can call them from a pay phone...make sure not to leave finger prints...don't worry, Orochimaru won't be there." Itachi looked at Shisui curiously as he made his way over to him. How did the man seem to know everything he was thinking?_

_"Don't take to long, Uchiha, Itachi," Shisui advised as he cupped Itachi's cheek and gave him a gentle kiss. Itachi craned his neck, hoping to catch Shisui's lips again but the man pulled back. Shisui gave him a small smile before leaving the room- and leaving Itachi to his thoughts._

* * *

"Deidara, you've been staring at the phone for over an hour," Sasori said. "I think I liked it better when you were doing whatever the hell you were doing. At least you weren't sitting there like a zombie." Deidara glanced up at Sasori and then sighed.

"At least get off the counter," Sasori said. Deidara unfolded his legs and got down gracefully.

"When do you think he'll be back, danna?" Deidara asked.

"He'll come back when he deems it appropriate," Sasori said.

"What do you think he's been doing?" Deidara asked.

"Who knows?" Sasori shrugged. "Listen, Dei, its best not to dwell on these things, alright? He'll come home when he feels like it but until then, we can't do anything about it.

* * *

**Sense is telling me you're looking  
I can feel it on my skin  
Boy I wonder what would happen  
If I trip and let you in (in, in) **

"You initiated going to a club?" Kakuzu asked Sasori. "On a school night?"

"Deidara's going to fall behind if I can't get him out of this slump…he seems fine during school- he was always somewhat antisocial but at home…"

"Yeah, I've seen what he was like at your place, Sasori," Kakuzu said. "Didn't they just meet though?"

"That's what I'm worried about," Sasori said. "He's never like this with anyone he doesn't know…"

"Just fucking leave the boy to himself. He'll be fine when Itachi fucking comes the hell home. Itachi can't fucking stay away for god damn ever," Hidan grunted. Kisame sighed, resting his elbow on the counter.

**Don't get shook my aggression  
I just might be the one  
Lets skip this conversation  
Just whine your body up**

"How're you doing?" Sasori asked. "You were closer to Itachi then any of us…" Kisame glanced at him.

"I'm just worried. I know its stupid- to be worrying about Uchiha, _Itachi_!" he snorted. "It's just damn stupid…"

"How's Sasuke fairing?" Kakuzu asked.

**HA HA HA  
Don't wanna wait no more  
HA HA HA  
You got what I'm searching for**

"He's putting on one hell of a brave front," Kisame said. "His mother's a wreck and his father…" he trailed off, not needing to say anything more. They had all seen the false ads of Fugaku Uchiha looking for his son.

"How the hell did he connect Konan to that last theft she pulled though?" Kakuzu asked. "She's never been caught."

"Do you think we'd be sitting here wondering that damn piece of fucking information if we fucking knew the answer?" Hidan demanded.

"I…I don't think he knew," Sasori said.

"What do you mean? He even reported it on the news," Kisame said.

"I think that was a last ditch effort so that he wouldn't be questioned," Sasori said slowly. "He must have found out that she was wearing a wig- wigs don't always stay in place- and drew the dots in a total coincidence."

"Hey, where the fucking hell is Deidara?" Hidan asked.

**HA HA HA  
Don't wanna wait no more  
HA HA HA  
You got what I'm searching for**

**Cuz I'm feeling your vibing  
I'm riding high is exotic  
And I want you, I want you here  
Pull me closer and closer and  
Hold me tight to your body  
I wanna feel you, I wanna feel you near**

"Probably- oh my fucking god," Sasori said, his mouth dropping open slightly and his eyes widening.

"What? What is- oh fucking lord," Kisame said.

* * *

**Sense is telling me you're looking  
I can feel it on my skin  
**

Itachi sighed as he got the answering machine yet again... that had been his third call to Sasori and Deidara's house... even Granny Chiyo wasn't picking up! He wiped the phone off with a handkerchief, then stepped out of the phone booth, slipping his hands into his pockets.

Itachi took out a cigarette, putting it in between his lips as he took out the lighter. He made several attempts to turn on the flame and on the third time-

"If you want to kiss me, don't even think about trying to light that again,"

**Boy I wonder what would happen  
If I trip and let you in (in, in) **

**Don't get shook my aggression  
I just might be the one  
**

"What makes you think I want to kiss you?" he asked but the flame disappeared although the lighter was still in his hand.

"Because we both know that you liked it as much as I did," he spoke.

**Lets skip this conversation  
Just whine your body up**

Itachi smirked, turning the lighter around in his hand and using the bottom to brush against his bottom lip as he took out the cigarette.

* * *

_"I hope I'm not going to be sorry for this, Uchiha," Deidara said. He grabbed teh black shirt that covered Itachi's chest and used it as leverage to pull him closer. Itachi was given no time to recover because Deidara easily met the slightly taller male's lips with his own._

_The kiss was only intended to be simple but as the second hand ticked on the clock, the electricity became painfully obvious to both of them. Painful because both knew that now, there was no denying to themselves that they were attracted- physically if not mentally- to the other. Obvious because of the obvious attraction that they held for the other._

**HA HA HA  
Don't wanna wait no more  
**

"What makes you assume that I'm gonna kiss you?" Itachi asked, grunting in surprise as the blonde pulled him flush up against him.

"Because I ran into your little crush earlier and I'll be _damned_ if I'm gonna let him run his hands all over what _I_ want," Deidara sneered. Itachi regarded Deidara carefully, a dull red bleeding into his eyes from curiosity and the anticipation of feeling Deidara's lips again.

"I'll kiss who ever the hell I want," he said calmly. "What makes you any different?"

"No- you can _love_ him all you want," Deidara said. "But you'll never _lust_ after him the way you do me. So what's it going to be? Him and the cigarette or me?"

Itachi was quiet for a moment and when Deidara felt he wasn't going to get any more reaction from the black haired teenager other then his stare undirected at him, he sneered and let go of Itachi's leather jacket- no doubt borrowed. He had taken two steps when he felt Itachi's hands grab him around the waist and pull him into a strong chest.

One of the hands left his middle and he saw it extend in front of him as far as it could with the white cancer stick. Deidara stared at it and watched as it dropped, as Itachi stepped forward closer to him. He looked over his shoulder still at the cigarette on the ground.

"Does that answer your question?" Itachi whispered into his ear.

**HA HA HA  
You got what I'm searching for**

**Cuz I'm feeling your vibing  
I'm riding high is exotic  
And I want you, I want you here  
Pull me closer and closer and  
Hold me tight to your body  
I wanna feel you, I wanna feel you near**

Deidara nodded in shock, pulling Itachi into the club. Instead of taking him to the middle like he normally would, he took him near the corner, moving his hips against the Uchiha's when he put his arms around his neck. He didn't want anyone ruining this moment. Maybe he did love Itachi and maybe he didn't. All that mattered was that the object of his lusting was here and he didn't want to let him go again. Itachi let his hands trail over Deidara's body, not really moving but just wanting to feel.

**Whine up, whine up, whine up oh yeah!  
Whine up, whine up, whine up oh yeah!**

"Is that-?" Kisame asked, starting to get up to go see the Uchiha but Sasori put a hand on his chest.

"Leave them for now, Kisame," Sasori said. "They're in their own world now."

**Whine up, whine up, whine up oh yeah!  
Whine up, whine up, whine up oh yeah!**

* * *

"Itachi," Deidara whispered, his lips moving hungrily against Itachi's.

"Dei," Itachi whispered inbetween kisses.

"They're staring at us," Deidara whispered, moving back so that his lips were a few mere inches away from Itachi's.

"Who cares?" Itachi asked. After what his father had done, he didn't give a damn about anyone- just as long as he felt. He was twisted right now- in a haze of emotions.

"We need to talk," Deidara said.

"We are talking," Itachi shrugged. "What more is there-?"

"Konan. Blue hair, dead drop gorgeous even to a gay guy?" Deidara snapped. "Ring any bells?"

"How- how is she?" Itachi asked quietly.

"She's in a coma..." Deidara said.

* * *

"How long?" Itachi asked.

"Since you've been gone," Deidara whispered, taking only his hand as he began to walk. "C'mon, I wanna take you somewhere."

"Where?" Itachi asked.

"Where's your sense of adventure, yeah?" Deidara smiled. "Don't ask questions; just... follow me."

"I gotta-" he dropped Deidara's hand but the blonde still kept it outstretched.

"No, you don't," Deidara said. "Just come with me- _that's_ all you need to do. C'mon, me or him?" Itachi didn't look any where else, just Deidara's outstretched hand. He took it, leaving with Deidara, who had a satisfied look on his face as he led the enigma out.

* * *

Me: Whew! I meant to get that up sooner! Anyways, you guys are awesome! 52 reviews at 12 chapters! I love you guys! And thanks for everyone's reviews! It makes me happy when I read them!

Deidara: Thanks for supporting this fiction, yeah!

Itachi: Oh for the love of...

Deidara: The love of what?

Itachi: I have no idea...

Me: -sweat drop- okay, please review! They make me feel special!

Hidan: Just tell them to hit the damn review button and be done with it.

Sasori: I believe that's his way of saying 'Please review.' And hurry up and press the review button... I don't like to be kept waiting.

Me: ...maybe I should just let Deidara handle it from now on, yeah?


	13. No Way To Win

Me: Sorry I haven't updated for a while but I've had a writer's block for this story.

Deidara: Took you long enough, yeah... and why do all your recent chapters seem to-

Me: Shh!

Disclaimer: I no own.

_

* * *

_

_"No, you don't," Deidara said. "Just come with me-_ _that's__ all you need to do. C'mon, me or him?" Itachi didn't look any where else, just Deidara's outstretched hand. He took it, leaving with Deidara, who had a satisfied look on his face as he led the enigma out._

* * *

"Where did you get a motorcycle?!" Itachi shouted over the wind.

"Danna gave it to me, yeah!"

"Why in Sasori's right mind would he give you a motorcycle?!"

"He was tired of me sulking, yeah!"

_I gotta let it out, baby here's my confession  
My Hands are shakin' and it's close to obsession  
Poundin' in my chest been goin' 24/7_

"You sulk?" Itachi asked.

"What?"

"You sulk?!"

"Can't hear you!" Deidara said. "Hang on tight!" Itachi did as Deidara ordered him to as the biker reared the motorcycle onto one wheel and then sped up.

"The hell, Deidara?!" Itachi demanded as he practically fell onto the ground. "You're insane!"

"Oh come on, you can't tell me that you didn't enjoy that," Deidara laughed, placing the helmet on the bike and sitting next to Itachi.

"So where are we?" Itachi asked.

"I was exploring on my bike when I found this place, yeah," Deidara said. "Not really sure on where we are."

_You'd think the pain by now would make me learn my lesson_

Itachi didn't comment as Deidara leaned on him and he also ignored how right that it felt- not to mention how there was a longing in his chest. No, he wouldn't mention that.

_"Oh please," Himiko sneered. "I love Itachi and he loves me, even if he hasn't realized it. What could you possibly do to change that?" Deidara smirked._

_"You really wanna know?" Deidara asked._

_"Bring it," she said._

_"I hope I'm not going to be sorry for this, Uchiha," Deidara said. He grabbed the black shirt that covered Itachi's chest and used it as leverage to pull him closer. Itachi was given no time to recover because Deidara easily met the slightly taller male's lips with his own._

"What're you laughing at?" Deidara asked, lifting his head up.

"Did you see the look on Himiko's face when you kissed me?" Itachi smirked. "She was like a fish out of water."

"Yes, I do have that effect on people, yeah," Deidara said.

_But there's no way to win when I push you away  
Wanna do anything if you ask me to stay_

"What the hell gave you the idea to kiss me?" Itachi asked, leaning back on his shoulders.

"That bitch was pissing me off so bad," Deidara sneered.

"Would you have done the same thing if…?"

"If what?"

"If it were Sasori instead of me?" Itachi asked. Deidara was quiet for a minute.

"And risk getting choked to death by strings, yeah?" Deidara snickered, pushing Itachi. "I don't think so…besides, Danna wouldn't have been so considerate."

"What do you mean?" Itachi asked. "Sasori is never-"

"Wow, you guys don't know my Danna at all," Deidara sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Itachi frowned.

"Iwagakure is the place where everyone says that racing and all the bad stuff was invented at, yeah," Deidara said. "Well, the main rumor that started all that was that _violence _originated in a place that is in between Iwagakure and Sunagakure."

"Isn't Sasori originally from Suna?" Itachi asked.

_I'm so addicted, You're everything I want  
No complication, you know you had me from the jump_

"Exactly," Deidara said. "I almost didn't recognize his personality when I came here- he's lightened up a lot."

"Wow…" Itachi moved. "So Sasori does have a criminal record…"

"No he doesn't, yeah," Deidara said. "They never caught him."

_I'm so addicted, do what you wanna do  
I'm committed, addicted to you_

"You're contracting yourself,"

"No I'm not, yeah,"

"Yes, you are,"

"Oh, shut up Itachi, yeah," Deidara said.

"How's Sasuke?" Itachi asked after a moment's pause.

"Not sure… you'd have to ask Kisame," Deidara said. "Sasori's been going over to Gaara's to help tutor him because Sasori has been home schooling him- he refuses to go to school- and I go over there to make sure that they're eating but your brother only lets Sasori, Gaara, and your mom in his room- well, Gaara's room. And Gaara's not exactly helping Kisame get in there... well, actually its because..."

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Why don't you let Kisame in there?" Deidara asked, flipping a pancake._

_"Because any progress I make with Sasuke goes away,"_

_"Shouldn't that be the last thing you should be worrying about?"_

_"Not that kind of progress... _

_"Then what kind?" _

_"After two days, Sasuke kind of realized that Itachi wasn't going to call any time soon," Gaara said._

_"And?"_

_"He shut himself up- a serious case of depression. He just stayed in the corner reading quietly. At first I wouldn't have thought anything of it but then..."_

_"But then?" Deidara encouraged._

_"Then he wouldn't eat. He fell asleep reading the same book and I put him on the bed and he was lighter then he should have been," Gaara said. "I asked Temari and uncle if she'd been eating but Temari said he didn't eat twice when she gave him food. She said that Sasuke had told her that uncle had fed him but then Uncle said that he had denied the food as well..."_

_"So you put two and two together," Deidara said. "But he's eating now?"_

_"Yes,"_"Crap, I didn't count on that..." Itachi muttered. "So he won't allow Kisame in the room either?"

* * *

"Not even," Deidara said. "Come back, Itachi…you've been gone for two weeks-"

"No!" Itachi said, standing up immediately, his eyes began bleeding red.

"Why not?!" Deidara demanded, standing up as well. "Your mom is crying her heart out, your brother is on the road to depression-!"

"And how would you know what the 'road to depression is?" Itachi sneered.

"Because I've been down that road, damn it, Itachi!" Deidara said. "Hell, I was in a living hell when _my_ Danna left for your precious Konoha! Because you guys had him, I had no one! No one! I had no friends, my father beat me-" Deidara stopped in mid sentence and took a step back. Itachi's eyes lost some of the red and there were traces of black present as he stepped forward.

"Your father beats you too?" Itachi whispered. He reached forward, about to take Deidara's shirt so he could see the evidence that would undoubtedly be there if he was telling the truth.

"Don't. Touch me," Deidara hissed. "Let's just go back. I shouldn't have taken you here."

_It's cruel to call it love when its lust and desire  
Feel like I can fly, then you cut down the wire  
Even though I know I'm skin kin lower by the hour  
Can't change the fact that I'm a slave to your power_

"Deidara, wait," Itachi said, grabbing the blonde's arm. The blonde had little time to react as Itachi turned him around and pulled him flush up against him as he pulled him into a kiss that was lustful yet completely unresponsive.

"What are you doing?" Deidara asked quietly when Itachi pulled away.

"The homecoming dance... are you still going?" Itachi asked. Deidara was quiet for a minute.

"Yeah, whatever," he shrugged. "Let's just go..."

_My life is a lock and you hold the key  
And you tighten the chains when I try to break free_

"But-"

"Come on. I'm not going to wait for you," Deidara said, already on his way to the motercycle.

"Fine..." Itachi said quietly as he got on the back.

* * *

"You're back late," Shisui noted as Itachi got into his car and slammed the door. "Wasn't sure whether you were coming back or not."

"Yeah, well..." Itachi mumbled. "Had something to take care of..."

_Flashback_

_"I'm not going to play second fiddle over your look alike," Deidara told him when Itachi handed back the helmet. "It's going to be me or him. You have until the night of the homecoming dance. If you choose me, then be at the docks if not... don't bother coming."_

_End Flashback_

_

* * *

_

"Hey," Sasori said when Deidara threw himself on the bed next to Sasori after he had changed into pajamas, molding into the shape that would fit his Danna. "You're back late..."

"What did you expect? You gave me a motercycle..." Deidara mumbled.

"Yes, well... did something happen, Deidara?" Sasori asked.

"Don't wanna talk about it..."

"Yes you do," Sasori corrected him.

"No I don't,"

"Liar,"

"Well who's counting?"

"Me. Now what is it?"

"Itachi..."

"What about him?"

"He didn't want to come home," Deidara sighed, rolling onto his side so that his back was to Sasori.

"He'll come home when he's ready,"

"But I asked,"

"Itachi rarely agrees to favors," Sasori chided.

"But he listened to the other two..."

"Well, the third time's the charm, Dei," Sasori said. Deidara sighed.

"Can I sleep here tonight, Danna?"

"Sure, brat," Sasori sighed, reaching to turn off the lamp light. "Sure..."

* * *

"Can we stop at Gaara's house real quick?" Itachi asked.

"Are you sure?" Shisui asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Itachi said. "I'm not going to stay but-"

"Itachi, it's fine," Shisui said. "We'll stop by your friend's house." Itachi nodded his thanks, leaning on the window as Shisui changed directions to head to his house.

"I'll be back in a few," Itachi told him.

"Take your time," Shisui said. Itachi nodded and closed the door as he got out quietly and then proceeded to cross the yard as he knocked on the window he hoped led to Gaara's room. The curtain opened and sleepy blue eyes glared at him but they didn't have their usual effect. The window opened slightly.

"It is damn late, Uchiha," Gaara hissed.

"How is he?" Itachi asked.

"Asleep," Gaara said. "I suppose the blonde told you?"

"Yes, he did,"

"He's eating now. Three meals a day,"

"And he's not hiding it under the table or in his pockets?"

"No," Gaara said. "I watch him eat and so does the rest of my family, plus Deidara when he comes."

"Sasori is your family?" Itachi asked.

"Sort of," Gaara said. "I'll tell him that you checked up on him but I'm not going to wake him up. He hasn't been getting any sleep lately- he keeps waking up from nightmares...got a cure for that?"

"He likes to hold things when he sleeps," Itachi said. "That does not mean-"

"I wasn't planning on it," Gaara hissed. "He's doing fine and he'll probably do better when I tell him that you came."

"Thanks, Gaara,"

"Don't mention it," Gaara frowned. "Just come back soon." Itachi didn't say anything as he walked away. Gaara closed the window and locked it, closing the curtains when Itachi got into the car.

"Was someone at the window, Gaara?" Sasuke asked sleepily.

"No, Sasuke. You were dreaming again," Gaara said. "Go back to sleep." 'I'll tell you that he came in the morning,' he thought.

_I'm so addicted (I'm so addicted)  
You're everything I want  
No complication, You know you had me from the jump_

_I'm so addicted, Do what you wanna do (wanna do)  
I'm committed, Addicted to you_

_

* * *

_

"Finally asleep..." Sasori sighed quietly as he pulled the blankets higher over the blonde when he stood up.

"Well how is he?" Chiyo asked.

"Exhausted," Sasori said. "Man, if this were anyone else doing this to Deidara, I'd-"

"But it isn't someone else, Sasori. It is Itachi. Uchiha Itachi," Chiyo said. "So you're going to have to live with the fact that it is."

"I don't have to like it," Sasori grumbled, grabbing the coffee beans.

"Don't, Sasori. You need to sleep too," Chiyo said, taking the coffee beans away. "And you have classes to teach tomorrow. I understand you were trying to cheer Deidara up but you're both back late and you have school."

_You've given enough just to let me breathe  
You keep me alive just to watch me bleed  
I crawl down on my knees for you_

_You've made damn sure that I won't forget  
Your love's a drug I could never quit_

_All the things that you do, you do, you do_

"Fine..." Sasori said reluctantly as he went back into his room.

He moved strands of hair out of the blonde's face.

"Goodnight, Deidara," he whispered.

_But there's no way to win when I push you away._

_

* * *

_

Me: And that's a take! Sorry this took so long to get up, readers!

Itachi: -glares- what did you do to my brother?

Me: Nothing. You? Something.

Itachi: You wrote it!

Sasori: Ignore these two and review.


	14. Are They Favors?

Me: So sorry I haven't been updating that often, guys! School's just been really hectic and I've been down in the dumps... lost a book and have been updating other fanfictions of mine.

Thanks for reviewing everyone! And really, thank you for keeping up with this even though I've been taking forever!

Itachi: Why are there only mentionings of me?

Me: Because you're going to be in the next chapter and probably the main focus. Don't complain.

Disclaimer: I only own Himiko unfortunately...

Deidara: Please read and review.

_

* * *

_

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_"Was someone at the window, Gaara?" Sasuke asked sleepily._

_"No, Sasuke. You were dreaming again," Gaara said. "Go back to sleep." 'I'll tell you that he came in the morning,' he thought._

_I'm so addicted, Do what you wanna do (wanna do)  
I'm committed, Addicted to you_

_End Recap_

* * *

"Sasuke, come on. We need to eat," Gaara said, shaking the boy's shoulder gently. Gaara had had Sasuke waking up the same time as him since everyone was at school or work by the time the Uchiha woke up. There was no guarntee that he would actually eat so he took the safest approach.

"Gaara?" Sasuke yawned.

"Yeah, it's me," he confirmed. "Come on, get up. I have news about Itachi-" Sasuke sprang up, jumping on Gaara and tackling him to the floor.

"Sasuke-"

"Is he alright? So he really was the one at the window and I wasn't dreaming?"

"No, Sasuke," Gaara winced. "Get off of me…"

"Oh, sorry," Sasuke said, helping pull him to his feet. "Why didn't you wake me up before he left?"

"Have a look in a double mirror and I think you'll find out," Gaara sighed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sasuke asked. Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow.

"When's the last time you looked in the mirror, Sasuke?" Gaara said. Sasuke frowned and walked into the bathroom and froze at what he saw.

"Do you see now?" Gaara asked quietly.

"I…"

"Yes?"

"I look kinda like you," Sasuke said. Gaara stared at the boy as he walked out of the bathroom.

'I can't believe that boy…' Gaara shook his head, looking away as Sasuke began to take off his shirt.

"So what did Itachi say?"

"Hm? Oh, he said that he was worried about you and wanted to check up on you," Gaara said.

"That's it?" Sasuke asked, not really wondering since he figured that's all his brother would say,

"He…uh…" 'What else do big brothers say?' He thought. "He said he loves you too," Gaara said. Sasuke paused in putting his shirt on and then slipped it over his head. He walked over to Gaara and hugged him from behind.

"You don't need to lie to make me feel better, Gaara," Sasuke said.

"What do you mean?" Gaara asked in a monotone.

"Itachi doesn't say that he loves me… he says that he always has time for me," Sasuke said. "In a way, that means more."

"How do you figure?" Gaara asked.

"If you love someone, you can't always be there for them. Itachi doesn't say that he doesn't love me but he rarely says he does. Instead, he tells me that no matter what, he'll always have the time for me," Sasuke said.

"That's nice," Gaara said. Then he reluctantly freed himself from Sasuke's grasp. "Come on, we need to get ready for school... that is, if you want to go." Sasuke hesitated.

"You're taking care of Sakura and Ino for me," he said. "Any other fan girls too, for that matter... if I go." Gaara smirked.

"If that's what you want," he said. Sasuke couldn't help regretting this action as he saw the deadly, coniving smirk that reminded him so much of Kisame when he found out that he was about to hurt someone who did something to piss him off...

Sasuke remembered one time when he and Itachi had been cornered in an ally, trying to meet Hidan, Kisame, Zetsu, Sasori, and Kakuzu.

* * *

Flashback

_"Are you sure we're going the right way, Itachi-nii?" Sasuke whimpered, looking around._

_"Yes, Sasuke. I've taken this way many times before," Itachi said. Sasuke clung tighter to his brother, knowing that that was translation for, 'Just relax. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you.'_

_"Itachi-nii, who's that?" Sasuke asked, pointing to the mysterious three figures approaching them. Itachi sucked in a breath._

_"Oh shit," Itachi said, "come on, Sasuke. Let's hurry..."_

_"Not so fast, 'Itachi-nii'," the tallest boy snickered. _

_"I'm not little!" Sasuke defended himself._

_"Sasuke, hush," Itachi said nervously. Sasuke was shocked into quietness. His brother was never nervous. Why now? _

_Itachi pushed Sasuke behind him a little roughly. He was glad that his brother understood that he had to be quiet. Normally, these guys wouldn't bother him. He could easily take them and they knew it._

_"Didn't know you were a brother..." The one on his right snickered. _

_"The hell you didn't," Itachi muttered sarcastically. He didn't like cussing in front of Sasuke. He was too young for this sort of thing. He didn't want to show Sasuke how violent he could be- he hadn't stopped with the karate lessons. Oh no, he had had Kisame show him everything he knew about street fighting. He had learned from Kakuzu when to bolt from drug deals (why he needed that knowledge, he'd never know but Kakuzu had insisted on taking him with him... Itachi supsected that Kakuzu thought he'd be able to tell whether he was getting jipped or not with Itachi there and he was right; he was getting jipped) and from Hidan... cuss your way out of things and throw things and who cared if you made a blood bath?_

_Well, he did care. He cared when it was in front of his little brother._

_"Back off," Itachi said. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you fools." He nervously counted the odds of this._

_The odds of taking them on now and surprising them? Alright but there was still the chance one was smart and would take advantage of Sasuke's presence._

_The odds of waiting for them to attack and take two out at once and then the other? Not so good._

_Getting backed into a corner? Already happened, no escape._

_Getting Sasuke to safety and then taking them on? One or even two could slip away and take Sasuke. He'd have no way of knowing until after._

_Crap._

_'Kisame...' Itachi thought nervously. 'Sasori...' He wanted so badly to be in the shelter of the people he called friends. The ones he had taken for granted... he wanted to be in their shelter. He didn't want Sasuke to have to witness these things. _

_A bead of sweat made its way down._

_Then one last ditch effort came to his mind as he glanced over to the side. He grabbed his little brother and jumped onto the trash cans, reaching for the fence and throwing them over._

_"He got away!"_

_"Get him!"_

_Itachi contined to run, ignoring Sasuke's worried questions until he felt himself trip. He turned over, shielding Sasuke from the blunt of the blow._

_"Itachi-nii?" Sasuke asked. "What's going on? Are you okay?!"_

_"Shh, shh," Itachi winced, feeling a pain in his ankle but he disregarded it to stand up and pick up Sasuke when he heard the sound of footsteps. _

_Running footsteps._

_Sasuke could feel the limp in his brother's footsteps. _

_"Ita-"_

_"Not now, Sasuke," Itachi said. "I can't jump again. Climb over, I'll-"_

_"So cute. He's worried about his little brother,"_

_"Crap," Itachi said. "Go, Sasuke-"_

_"I'm not leaving you!" Sasuke hissed._

_"Sasuke, go-" but he was interrupted as one of the teenagers following them through a trashcan, knocking the one he was planning to use to get himself and Sasuke over the fence, onto the ground. Itachi held Sasuke close, tyring to shield him from this._

_"Don't hurt him," Itachi hissed._

_"Aw, such a loving big-"_

_"Is there a problem here, gentlemen?" Itachi felt his breath catch and he sighed in relief._

_"Sasori," he said. "Kisame,"_

_"Hey, Itachi. You alright?" Kisame asked. _

_"Yeah, fine," Itachi said, but he looked down at his ankle, hoping Kisame or Sasori would get the point. He knew that Sasori had when he lifted his chin slightly in a curt nod._

_"Move," Sasori said, pushing his way past the boys._

_"You-!" the tallest boy grabbed his arm and punched his chest but was frozen with shock when he felt the unnatural hardness of the chest._

_"The greatest defense is a strong offense," Sasori told him, unbuttoning a bit of his shirt to show him the wooden body. "Medical practices aren't just what they used to be these days..."_

_"Y- you...what are you?!" he shrieked, backing off. Kisame smirked and cracked his knuckled, a menacing smile was present on his face._

_"I don't think you should be as concerned with Sasori here as you should be me. Sasori might be from Iwa but I'm the fighter over here," Kisame said. "And I really don't take to kindly to someone who messes with Itachi." Sasori walked calmly over to the Uchiha brothers, with a gate that made Sasuke marvel at his confidence in Kisame._

_"Can you walk, Sasuke?" Sasori asked. Sasuke nodded, standing up._

_"Saso-" Itachi began but Sasori leaned down and putting one had around his shoulders and the other under his knees, he picked Itachi up bridal style, beginning to walk. Sasuke had to practically jog to keep up with Sasori._

_"Sasori!" Itachi protested, instinctively wrapping his arms around the older boy's neck._

_"You're not walking," Sasori said._

_"But like this?" Itachi hissed with an angry blush._

_"Would you prefer Sasuke carry you?"_

_"Hn,"_

_"Exactly," _

_"Hey, wait up!" Kisame shouted, jogging over to them._

_"Done already?" Sasori asked in his bored tone. "Here, take him. He's protesting against me holding him."_

_"I-!" But Kisame had already been ready to receive the whining Uchiha, shifting him into a position on his back._

_Sasuke stared up at Kisame. The fish-like teen had no trace of malice on his face as he carried Itachi on his back. _

_But the malicious smirk was imprinted in his brain._

_End Flashback_

_

* * *

_

"Sasuke?" Gaara asked.

"Coming," Sasuke said, following him out.

_

* * *

_

"Deidara, its time to wake up," Sasori said, shaking the blonde's shoulder. "Wake up… god, I knew I shouldn't have let you go clubbing on a school night…Deidara, don't keep me waiting!" Deidara jumped and looked around wildly.

"Should have done that from the beginning," Sasori muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Come on, Deidara. You have school and I have work. Get your lazy ass up." Deidara groaned and rolled over, yelping when he hit the floor.

"Deidara…"

"I thought the point of having a motorcycle was so that I could go to school by myself, yeah?" Deidara pouted.

"That would be the case if you didn't promise me to help clean the art room after school," Sasori said. Deidara groaned again and lifted himself off the floor.

"Fine, yeah…" he said, rubbing the back of his head as he went into the bathroom. Sasori stared after him and shook his head when the door closed.

"Remind me next time to set the alarm clock ten minutes ahead of when he actually wakes up," Sasori grumbled to Chiyo as he walked past her in the kitchen to get coffee.

* * *

"I hate school," Kakuzu grumbled as they walked through the halls. "How can Sasori teach?"

"Because it pays the bills and it's the only job that you get paid to torture teenagers," Sasori said, walking up to them with Deidara in tow.

"Of course you would say that," Kakuzu snorted. "But aren't there more expensive paying jobs that you could have that you're more then qualified for?"

"Granny Chiyo likes the house we live in and someone needs to be here to bust you idiots out of trouble," Sasori said. "Where's Hidan? And Zetsu? We haven't heard from him for awhile."

"Hidan is doing… something," Kakuzu hesitated. That caught the blond and red heads' attentions but they didn't comment on it. Sasori didn't because he knew that it was better to leave things as they were without Itachi or Kisame around. He could probably take Kakuzu but Hidan, the self sacrificing and sacrificing other things religionist was another story… he wouldn't really have limits unlike Kakuzu. For example; Sasori could bribe him with money. Deidara didn't say anything because he was on the verge of falling asleep again and didn't think that he could hold a long conversation. It didn't help that his reflexes were slower then they normally were because he was so tired.

"And Zetsu?" Sasori asked.

"Who knows? He comes and goes as he pleases," Kakuzu snorted.

"**Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear**," Deidara yelped and jumped, running behind his captain. At least his reflexes were enough for that.

"Zetsu, you're the devil?" Sasori asked disinterestedly.

"**Yes**- no, of course not- **yes**- no-!"

"You _might_ get used to it," Sasori told Deidara with the same disinterested tone.

"'It'?" Deidara repeated, looking at Zetsu with something that resembled fear and confusion. It was hard to tell since he was pretty tired and most of the emotion on his face was the want for sleep.

"His multiple personalities," Sasori informed him and then the bell rang. "Try not to fall asleep in class."

"Okay, danna," Deidara yawned, walking the opposite direction of Sasori.

"Deidara, your class is that way. And don't call me danna in school," he added.

"Okay, danna," Deidara said, following him like a zombie as Sasori groaned.

"Kakuzu, don't ditch!" Sasori shouted.

"I make no promises unless you-"

"Get to class!"

* * *

"You!" Himiko said, pointing at Deidara. Sasori glanced up from his book, frowning when he saw Himiko with Deidara. He pretending to keep reading, his attention only diverted when a student came up to ask his opinion.

"Me?" Deidara yawned, bored.

"I've been meaning to talk with you about my Itachi!" she said. Deidara's eyebrow twitched.

_'Now I have to deal with Itachi's look alike and this bitch?'_ he thought, annoyed. He then took a deep breath and let it out.

"He's not 'your' Itachi," Deidara said. _'If anyone's at the moment, he's that stupid look alike's of his...'_

"We were destined to be together!" Himiko said.

"You were destined to be locked in an asylum," Deidara said, standing up. Sasori had turned his attention to him just in time as he saw Deidara waver.

"You-!"

"Enough," Sasori interrupted. "Ms. Haruno, get to work. Deidara, I want you to go to the infirmary,"

"But-"

"Go. Now," Sasori said.

"Fine," Deidara said.

"Shouldn't he get in trouble, Mr. Akasuna?! Sending him to the infirmary just because-"

"He is not feeling well, Ms. Haruno and he is already serving time with me afterschool today so there is no need to push the matter," Sasori snapped.

"But-"

"This is my classroom, Ms. Haruno. You will not tell me how to run my class, no matter my age or yours. I will tell Deidara to go to the infirmary as I see fit. I will tell him to serve detention as I see fit. I will not, however, give him punishment for being provoked into feeling the need to defend himself," Sasori said. "Mr. Uchiha is not an object nor a possession. He is a person and who he chooses to associate himself with is entirely his choice..."

"But..." Himiko said weakly.

"Kindly sit down, Ms. Haruno," Sasori said as calmly as he could. "Or I might take Deidara's suggestion seriously; obsessive behavior, no?" Himiko looked torn between shrieking and sitting, opting for the sitting. Sasori sat down and turned his attention to the book he was reading. He turned the page as the bell rang.

"Dissmissed," Sasori said. When all the students had cleared his room, he sighed and rubbed his temples.

_'Am I favoring Deidara?'_ he frowned, crossing his legs. _'Personal prejudices... I never did like either of those Harunos, even when I was in school...Oh, who cares? its not like they could fire me over that. Deidara's still getting 'detention'.'_ He thought to himself, purposely not thinking of the fact that Deidara had volunteered to help.

* * *

Me: And that was chapter... er, fourteen?

Deidara: Yes, fourteen. It's been to long since you've looked at this story.

Me: Again, sorry!

Sasori: Please review.


	15. Places To Go, People To See

Me: Sorry its taken me awhile to get out again, guys and gals! Had a writer's block with this one... but don't I always?

Deidara: Yep...

Me: You're not supposed to agree with me.

Itachi: Ignore their pointless bantering and read and review.

Disclaimer: I no own.

_

* * *

_

_Recap of Last chapter_

_'Am I favoring Deidara?' he frowned, crossing his legs. 'Personal prejudices... I never did like either of those Harunos, even when I was in school...Oh, who cares? It's not like they could fire me over that. Deidara's still getting 'detention'.' He thought to himself, purposely not thinking of the fact that Deidara had volunteered to help._

_End Recap_

* * *

"Are you ditching again, Deidara?" the nurse asked. The blonde had been skipping several classes lately but his grade never wavered from the A's and B's he got.

"No, Sasori- da- er, Mr. Akasuna sent me," Deidara said. The nurse frowned and put a hand to his forehead.

"No fever…any dizziness?" she asked.

"A little,"

"Alright, go ahead and sleep for awhile," she said. "You can skip gym but you're not skipping your other classes. Deidara nodded, lying on the bed provided, closing his eyes. He drifted into a light sleep.

* * *

Itachi woke up with a slight groan. He looked down at his bare chest, blushing as he remembered the activities that had almost taken place that night. He had told Shisui to stop and the older man had.

"Itachi?" Shisui yawned sleepily.

"Go back to sleep," Itachi said, pulling his shirt over his head. "I just need to go out."

"Keys are on the dresser," Shisui said, propping himself up on his elbow. "Anywhere in particular you're going so I have some rough idea of where you are incase your-"

"I'm just going to pick up the homework at my school, the hospital-"

"The hospital?" Shisui said, getting up. "Why there?"

"I need to check on a friend," Itachi said. "Relax. I'm fine." Shisui nodded slightly even though his eyes were checking over Itachi for injuries.

"I'm fine," Itachi repeated with more finality this time. Shisui nodded, now having finished his body check of Itachi.

"Be back before midnight," Shisui said.

"You don't go to bed until one," Itachi reminded him, brushing his hair into a ponytail.

"Well, better to make sure you eat until I collapse so I don't have to look for you when I'm about ready to collapse," Shisui yawned. "Sure you don't want any company?" Itachi looked doubtful at the sleepy man.

"I'm good, thanks… besides, you're not really going to be welcome with my crowd at the moment," Itachi said.

"Alright, have fun," he said, kissing Itachi's forehead and then turned to go back into bed. Itachi grabbed his arm, pulling him a bit closer. Shisui turned to face him and was surprised when Itachi's lips met his. It was only a brush of the lips but Itachi blushed when they parted, looking down as he did so. Shisui smiled and bent down, kissing Itachi's lips.

"Don't stay out to late without that Kisame guy," Shisui said. "You're good with the whole intimidating factor, but I think I'm correct in guessing that Kisame's the muscle." Itachi nodded.

"I'll probably be back around seven or eight, ten at the latest," Itachi said.

"Two, three hour skip," Shisui mused as Itachi closed the door. "Ah well… Wait, Itachi!" Itachi was about to open the car door but he stopped when he heard Shisui. When he saw Shisui, he deadpanned.

"Why…?" Itachi asked referring to the fact that Shisui was clad only in boxers and a baggy white t-shirt.

"Overcoat and sunglasses," he said. "I don't think you want people recognizing you."

"Thanks," Itachi said, putting the sunglasses on. As he put them on, he felt moist lips against his.

"See you at seven," Shisui said.

"Ten," he said, getting into the car.

"Whatever," Shisui smirked. "Later." He shut the car door, waving as Itachi backed out and sped out of sight.

"Well now, isn't that just sweet?" Orochimaru smirked, coming into sight.

"I'd appreciate it if you looked the other way," Shisui said, the smile coming off his face.

"I'm just here to see how things are going… you didn't tell me that you were holding dear, sweet Itachi here," Orochimaru smiled sickeningly. Shisui glared at him.

"I told you because he has nothing to do with you," Shisui hissed, crossing his arms. "What are you doing here?"

"I can't just come here to visit?" Orochimaru asked.

"No," Shisui said, not even pausing to think.

"Fine, we'll get straight to business," Orochimaru frowned. "I want Itachi to race for me."

"No," Shisui said.

"I think that you'll find that 'no' isn't an option, Shisui," Orochimaru smirked. Shisui frowned.

"He's not racing for you," Shisui said.

"Oh, I will get him…" Orochimaru smirked. "One way or another-" Shisui lunged then, his hands in tight fists as one contacted with Orochimaru's face.

"You!"

"I suggest you get out of here," Shisui hissed. "Now."

"So rude," Orochimaru said. "Especially when all I wanted to do was give you this…" Shisui stared at him, unrelenting in his glare but he took the folder anyways.

"What is it?"

"Something that someone wanted you to have," Orochimaru said. "Goodbye, dear Shisui." Shisui didn't bother calling out for the snake to wait. Who wanted the vile man's attention?

* * *

"Hospital or school first?" Itachi murmmered to himself. He opted for the school, seeing as his father might have Konan under guard. At least his way he could catch up... not that he needed to, he probably had enough credits to graduate twice over.

"Excuse me," Itachi said, coming through the door of the principal's office.

"If you're trying to get your kid enrolled-"

"Principal Tsunade," Itachi interrupted. Tsunade stopped writing and looked up.

"Itachi?" she breathed. "Where have you been? You've missed almost three or four weeks of school- which is right here- your father's going crazy looking for you and Sasuke! Have you called him? How's your-" Tsunade picked up the phone and was about to begin dialing but Itachi disconnected the call.

"I need to talk to you... and my father can't know that I was here," Itachi said. Tsunade looked at Itachi and then sighed, putting down the phone.

"How can I help you, Itachi?" she asked.

"I ran away. I'll come back but not now... I still have things to do," Itachi said.

"You're not participating in street races again are you?" Tsunade asked. Itachi frowned.

"How did you know about those?" Itachi asked.

"I may be a woman, Itachi but there are some who know about cars," Tsunade said. "Besides, my suspicions were confirmed when you ended up in the hospital having gotten hit by a 'drunk driver.'"

"How so?" Itachi asked.

"You sped out of the way when Kakuzu joined our school, perfectly avoiding eight students and parking parallelly in the parking space. Then you got out like nothing happened. I know that Uchihas are talented but that wasn't just luck," Tsunade said. "You raced."

"You're a principal... What would a pricipal know about racing?" Itachi frowned. Tsunade sighed.

"Honestly Itachi. I know Jariah. Do you know what Jariah and I- well, in your case, Jariah was famous for?"

"Being a pervert?"

"No- well, yes but not what I mean,"

"Then what?"

"Let's try this then... have you raced? I won't get you expelled, so relax."

"Yes,"

"Have you heard of Orochimaru?"

"Yes,"

"Well, I participated in the gambling... I was better at the street racing but man was it a thrill," Tsunade sighed. "Man, what I'd give to live that life again... but now I'm stuck with teenagers and college students and Zetsu and Kakuzu and the blonde one who's in the infirmary and Sasor-"

"Infirmary?" Itachi asked, standing up.

"-and now Itachi's street racing and Orochimaru is an-"

"I'll... be going now," Itachi said, picking up his pile of homework. "Thanks for your time..." 'She's drunk...'

He practicallyran towards the infirmary but it still seemed to take forever to get there.

'Deidara...!' Itachi shouted silently in his head as he through open the door to the infirmary. He rushed over to the drawn curtain and opened it, greeted with the sight of the sleeping blond.

"What are you in here for?" Itachi whispered, feeling the blonde's forehead by putting his own against it. "No fever..." he sat down on the bed, watching the blonde's chest rise and fall with his breathing.

"Deidara..." Itachi said, no more the a whisper as he bent down. His lips ghosted over Deidara's and he could feel himself going down instinctively- compulsively.

He wanted this.

His lips touched Deidara's gently. A burning sensation filled him and he wanted more- he didn't know why he wanted more of the blonde but he knew that he wanted more.

But as the burning began to spread throughout his entire body, he pulled back quickly, almost knocking over a folding chair.

"Shit," he whispered, wiping his lips and running out of the infirmary, throwing the door open as he fled.

Deidara's eyes opened sleepily and he sat up.

"Keep it- down?" he said, talking to the "nobody" that had fled the room. He put his fingers to his lips and looked down.

'I had a dream...' Deidara thought. 'Itachi kissed me, yeah...'

"And didn't I close these drapes?!" Deidara hissed, closing them again.

* * *

Itachi groaned as he put his face in between his hands.

"I'm such an idiot!" he groaned. "How could I have done that?!" he bashed his head into the steering wheel.

_"Itachi-!" Konan shouted._

_"Get out of here, Konan! Itachi shouted. "Go! Hurry!" She glanced at the Uchiha's father, getting out of the car very pissed off and followed his advice. A gun shot fired and Itachi paused to look back. 'Don't let it hit Konan,' he prayed._

"Hospital... right," Itachi breathed, trying to calm himself. "I... I need to check on Konan..." He calmed himself as he began driving.

On his lips lingered the taste of Deidara's sweet lips.

* * *

_Itachi Uchiha _

_Child prodigy_

_"Father" (as he will be called in this report to avoid suspicion) experimented on Itachi when he was in the womb. His eyes were red for a few seconds. Father was trying to recreate the Sharingan- a technique that was rumored to have existed within the Uchiha family long ago. The effects of Father's experiment traveled onto Sasuke. His eyes sight will not be as bad or as powerful (the Sharingan has different effects) as Itachi's but the ability will be there._

_

* * *

_

Shisui stared at the report.

"'Uchi... Uchiha," he whispered. "He's my... he's my cousin..." He dropped the folder, letting it fall to the floor as he stared at the wall.

"Shisui," Toby said, "Knock knock."

"Have mercy," Shisui whispered.

* * *

Itachi quietly asked for Konan's where abouts. He ignored the receptionist fawning over him as he followed the room numbers and disappeared out of her sight.

'666,' he thought with pursed lips. 'Fitting for us Akatsuki.' His hand lingered on the door handle and he pushed it open.

"Leader?" he asked when he saw the man by Konan's bedside. Pein turned to look at him.

"Hello Itachi,"

* * *

Me: And that is a rap! Sorry its been taking longer and longer to get out guys.

Deidara: Shouldn't this story be one of your main prioritites, yeah?

Me: Eh...

Deidara: So you're finally getting down to the real plot? Only took you fifteen chapters. And you're still not even there yet, yeah!

Sasori: -sighs- Please review.


	16. Since We're Being Honest

Me: I'm going to wrap this story up soon... although not in the way most of you expect because I've had the climax planned out for quite some time.

Disclaimer: I no own.

Please read and review.

_

* * *

_

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_'666,' he thought with pursed lips. 'Fitting for us Akatsuki.' His hand lingered on the door handle and he pushed it open._

_"Leader?" he asked when he saw the man by Konan's bedside. Pein turned to look at him._

_"Hello Itachi,"_

* * *

"How is she?" Itachi asked after a moment of silence.

"She hasn't woken up," Pein said.

"Have you been talking to her?" Itachi asked.

"Talking?" Pein said doubtfully.

"There's some kind of study that coma patients recover faster if you talk to them," Itachi said, pulling up a chair next to Pein. "Hi, Konan, it's Itachi. Leader won't say this but you still look beautiful even in coma- and I'm gay. I'm sorry what my father did to you…I'll get him back for this, I promise… I'll just be going now, I'll check in again. Sorry it took me so long to this time." Itachi stood up to leave but Leader grabbed his hand.

"Look at her hand- keep talking," Pein said. "Konan, Konan, wake up please…."

"You can do this, Konan," Itachi encouraged. "You're a strong woman- the strongest and the only one the Akatsuki like let alone put up with."

"There's no one else like you, Konan. Just wake up- I even have Deidara making fireworks-"

"Why do you have Deidara making fireworks-?"

"Because-"

"Pein? Itachi?" a weak voice asked.

"Konan," both men said in relief.

"I'll call a nurse…" Itachi said.

"I'll get the other Akatsuki… I'm sure Deidara can skip school for one day," Pein said. He smiled at Konan, stroking her hair while he got his cell phone out.

"Nurse? We've had a coma patient awaken and we need a nurse in here… room 666, Konan… yes, thank you." Itachi hung up his side of the phone and he took Konan's other hand.

"How're you feeling?" Itachi asked.

"Like shit," Konan smiled back weakly. "How long was I out?"

"Two weeks,"

"And the dance?"

"Don't remind me," Itachi groaned.

"It's in a week," Pein filled her in.

"What's got you so down about a dance?" Konan asked. "Normally you go with Kisame or you just don't go at all… why did you go with Kisame again when you two rarely danced?"

"My mom would somehow hear about it," Itachi sighed. "And she would insist that I have a social life."

"You do have the worst social life," Pein agreed. Itachi glared at him.

"You're the one who told my mom about the dances," Itachi snapped.

"You're only so uptight about dances when it involves Deidara because you asked him to the dance but you're dating your cousin on the side-"

"My WHAT?!"

"Oh I don't believe he knew..." Pein said.

"What was your first hint?" Konan asked, staring at the unconcious boy. "Get him onto the bed..."

* * *

"He's my cousin..." Shisui muttered. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was so much more interesting watching you dance around the fact. You knew that you had a cousin named Itachi- he has every Uchiha quality, his father has been putting wanted posters up and everything," Madara said.

"You knew this and you didn't tell me? You're sick..." Shisui said. "And what the hell are you doing disguised as a teenager?"

"I'm surprised you didn't recognize him," Madara smirked. "You have seen him several times before... and I was bored."

"You're sick and get out!" Shisui snapped. "You're the last person I want to hear from now-!"

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving," Madara smiled cruely, walking out backwards, his hands in the air. Shisui sighed in relief as he closed the door.

"Now I remember..." Shisui muttered.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"What do you think of him?" _

_"Hm?" Shisui asked, looking at his twelve year old cousin._

_"Madara Uchiha, what do you think of him?" Itachi clarified. Shisui raised his eyebrows. They didn't see each other much- this was maybe the second time he could remember being with him since they were young children- playmates._

_"He's old," Shisui shrugged._

_"Seriously," Itachi said._

_"He gives me the creeps... and you?"_

_"Today Madara is a pathetic shell of his former self. He is no longer worthy of being considered the greatest Uchiha (1)," Itachi said. Shisui stared at the younger Uchiha before chuckling. _

_"Are you taking over your father's business?"_

_"As head of police?" Itachi frowned. "No."_

_End Flashback_ "He's dating his cousin?" Konan asked Pein.

* * *

"Don't look at me like that. I just found out myself," Pein said.

"Then how come you didn't tell him sooner?" Konan asked.

"He was unreachable from the time you were unconsious until now,"

"Don't give me that bull," Konan snapped. "We both know you could have reached him if you wanted to."

"But I didn't want to," Pein said. "So there's no problem." Konan sighed.

"Who's Deidara?"

"Oh, you haven't been around lately," Pein said. "Deidara is an explosives expert-"

"A what?!"

"And I have him making fireworks and bombs for his initiation," Konan groaned.

"Is this Sasori's Iwagakure friend?"

"Yes,"

"Does Sasori know about this?"

"I should say not!" Pein said. "Deidara doesn't know its an initiation and Sasori doesn't know he's making explosives-"

"Are you crazy?!"

* * *

Itachi, shortly after waking up thirty minutes later, decided to leave the hospital and confront Shisui... much, much later, so he opted for a walk around town.

'If I am his cousin... what the hell does that say about us?' Itachi thought to himself. 'What does that say about me? About him? Sasuke wouldn't share that fate, would he? He shouldn't, there's no other cousins his age...'

"Itachi!" Itachi was torn out of his thoughts when his little brother came running up to him.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" Itachi asked Sasuke as Gaara followed calmly behind him. "How'd you recognize me?"

"Mom bought Shisui that trench coat," Sasuke said. "And-"

"Don't. Don't mention his name for awhile," Itachi said. "So, school?"

"There was a fire," Gaara said. "So they just let us out." Itachi frowned.

"Fire?" he asked.

"Naruto,"

"Why?"

"They gave him detention in the kitchen," Sasuke said.

"Of course," Itachi sighed. "You probably shouldn't-"

"Dad's been non-stop investigating night clubs looking for you," Sasuke said. "And mom really wants to see us." Itachi looked at his little brother and then nodded.

"Alright," Itachi said. "Gaara, I assume you're coming-?"

"No," Gaara said. "I'll meet you at that fair later, Sasuke."

"See you there," Sasuke said. Gaara nodded and walked away.

"Fair?" Itachi asked, putting his arm around Sasuke's shoulders as they walked to his car.

"Yeah, there's this fair going on later today. You should come too, Itachi," Sasuke said. "Please?" Itachi bit his lip as he got into the driver's seat.

"I guess... I am planning on coming back soon," Itachi said.

"Really?!" When?" Sasuke demanded.

"...before the dance," Itachi said. "Definitely before then."

* * *

"Itachi! Sasuke! My boys!" Mikoto exclaimed, hugging her sons. "I was so worried!"

"I'm sorry mom," both boys said at the same time, hugging their mother back.

"Well, come in! Come in, you must be starving!" Mikoto said. "Oh, my boys- back home at last!"

"Mom," Itachi said, slightly embarrassed. "We should really go in before someone notices me-"

"Of course, I'm sorry!" Mikoto said, ushering her sons in and closing the door behind them.

"What happened in here?" Sasuke asked, looking around at the mess. Mikoto winced.

"Your father has pulled out a bunch of his old case files," Mikoto sighed. "But enough about your father! What about you two? I know Sasuke's been with Gaara, but what about you, Itachi?"

"Um... I've been staying with Shisui," Itachi said uncomfortably.

"Your cousin, Shisui?" she asked, surprised. "You met up with him again?"

"Yeah, I did," Itachi said.

"You know, they believed that he was dead for awhile," Mikoto said.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.

"Shisui went off the radar for almost two years after the last time we saw him- you were twelve, Itachi," Mikoto said. "He made an appearance at one of the Uchiha reunions. Both of you were sick so I stayed home to take care of you. Your father filled me in. I'm surprised that you recognized each other."

"Yeah, coincidence," Itachi murmmered under his breath. Sasuke exchanged glances with his brother.

"When's dad coming home?" Sasuke asked, trying to change the subject.

"Um... around seven- you should probably leave earlier, just in case," Mikoto said. She didn't want her sons to leave again but there was nothing she could do about it. She wanted them to be safe. And right now, Itachi wasn't safe around her husband.

"I'll go make some tea," Mikoto smiled. "Let's go into the kitchen-" She stood up, beginning to walk and then she stepped on an old case file.

"Mom!" Itachi and Sasuke shouted as the woman who gave birth to them fell. Itachi's eyes flashed red and he grabbed his mother's hand, pulling her into his chest and then twisting their places around so that he was the one who landed on the floor and not her. He grunted in pain as they heard something shatter.

"Mom! Itachi!" Sasuke said, rushing to their sides.

"Itachi!" Mikoto said, getting to her knees. "Your arm!" Itachi glanced at his arm and realized that the shattering noise had been from a glass bottle- that had been shattered from his weight.

"It's just my arm," Itachi said. "I don't think there's any blood..." he shrugged off his trench coat, pulling up the sleeve to his shirt. No blood.

"Take off your shirt," Mikoto said. "The glass may have gotten under the back-"

"Mom, no!" Itachi and Sasuke protested.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Mikoto said. "I've seen both of you boys naked! I gave birth to you, you know!"

"Mom, don't- please!" Itachi protested but Mikoto had already taken advantage of Itachi's hurt arm and lifted up the shirt.

"What... happened?" Mikoto gasped, staring at her son's bruised torso.

"N-nothing- just karate classes," Itachi said. Mikoto frowned.

"Why didn't you tell me he was hitting you?" she whispered.

"Mom-"

"I want you boys to stay away for awhile," Mikoto said.

"Mom..." Itachi said weakly.

"I'm going to file for a divorce," Mikoto said. "I'll rent out an apartment and we'll live together- but until then, I want you to stay with your friends."

"Mom, you don't have to-" Itachi said.

"He hurt my son. No one hurts my sons," Mikoto said. "Not even my husband. I was going to wait until Sasuke got out of high school to get a divorce but-"

"He didn't hit you, did he?" Sasuke asked worriedly.

"No... but our marriage was an arranged one," Mikoto said.

* * *

_Flashback_

_"Mikoto, you're going to get married to Fugaku Uchiha," _

_I stared at my father with wide eyes._

_"What?"_

_"His father offered the marriage. It seemed that Fugaku Uchiha himself requested the marriage. He is from a good family, Mikoto. He will take care of you,"_

_"But father-!"_

_"No buts, Mikoto. You're marrying him an that's that."_

_I stared at the table for the longest time, unable to move or speak. Fugaku was in my class. I rarely talked to him and he didn't seem to like me. He often had all of the other girls in the classroom fawning over him. I remember having to do a class project with him one time._

_Flashback within the Flashback_

_"I'll have to do all the work again..." she heard Fugaku grumbling to himself._

_"Why? Do you think I'm to stupid to do any of the work?" Mikoto grumbled to herself. Fugaku stared at her and then Mikoto realized she had spoken out loud._

_"I-I'm sor-"_

_"I thought..." Fugaku stared at her with eyes of surprise and Mikoto's kind sense kicked in._

_"Well, you had good reason to think but I'm not other girls," Mikoto said. "So where should we start?"_

_End of Flashback within the Flashback_

_Due to the arrangement, our families met. They were discussing the terms of our marriage- the men- and our future children- the women. _

_"Mikoto..." Fugaku stared. I stared wordlessly at him and yet he already seemed to know my questions. __"I'm sorry," he said._

_"Why?"_

_"I didn't mean to trap you into this... it was a slip of the tongue,"_

_"How does a slip of the tongue land us in an arranged marriage?"_

_"They've been pressuring me to get married... I accidentally mentioned that you weren't like other girls..." Fugaku said. I looked down at the floor. _

_There was no doubt that Fugaku was handsome. We had become closer- which meant that he returned my greetings now and if I were to invite him to join my friends and I for lunch, he would accept or politely decline depending on who I was with. We were... friends of sorts..._

_"I promise, that if you stay true to me, I will be a good husband," he said. I looked up from the floor, surprised._

_"I promise, if you stay true to me... that I will be a good wife... I will bear your children, I will cook and clean for you, but our children will be raised as I see fit," I said. I drew myself together. "Do you understand me?" Fugaku regarded me carefully before he nodded._

_"I understand perfectly,"_

_End Flashback_

_

* * *

_

"And for awhile, he was a good husband..." Mikoto said. "He was kind, polite, and he cared for me... if the housework was too much for me, he'd tell me to go lie down- sometimes, if he weren't busy, then he'd do it himself," she smiled bitterly.

"Of course, that all changed once I was born," Itachi said.

"No, he started changing once he got involved with Orochimaru," she said. "Oh, look at the time!"

"Shi- shoot," Itachi corrected himself. "Mom, you shouldn't stay here-"

"He won't hurt me," Mikoto said firmly. "Itachi- why do your eyes look red?" Itachi and Sasuke exchanged nervous glances.

"Mom... Dad probably got involved with Orochimaru because of the Sharingan..." Sasuke said.

"The Sharingan?" Mikoto said. "That's just an old legend of the Uchiha to explain the elders' bad eye sight-"

"Mom, since we're being honest..." Itachi said. "I'm almost blind."

_

* * *

_

(1) That's a direct quote/quote from the manga, I take no credit for it. It should be in chapter 368 page 11. I don't actually read the manga anymore (I stopped at like, volume something...) and I don't know if its in the anime so my apologies if it is incorrect. Please tell me if you happen to know whether it is incorrect and I will fix it.

Please review and tell me what you thought.


	17. Begging For Pnemonia

Me: Sorry that you guys keep having to wait for these chapters for such a long period of time. I'm trying but writer's blocks are hard to get rid of XP.

Disclaimer: I no own. I don't own the song- its by Skillet- Yours To Hold.

Thanks everyone for reviewing please read and review again.

* * *

"So you're coming back soon?" Kisame asked as the Ferris wheel took them around and around.

"Yeah…" Itachi said.

"Any reason why?"

"N- no!" Itachi said, his cheeks turning a little red.

"Liar," Kisame snorted. "You find out that you and your look alike are related?"

"Wait, you knew?!" Itachi demanded.

"Knew what?" Kisame asked, confused and then he put two and two together. "So you _are_ related?!"

"Shut up, Kisame…" Itachi blushed. "Just shut up… why are we on this thing again?"

"Because we've been going on this thing since we were seven," Kisame grunted.

"What the hell did we do that for?" Itachi asked.

"How should I know?"

"You have all your sight,"

"Blind one,"

"Fish boy,"

"Red eyed freak,"

"Blue faced freak,"

"Cousin lover,"

"Shut up," Itachi said, crossing his arms. "I'll push you off this thing." Kisame snorted.

"Yeah, right…" Kisame said.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Gaara asked as Sasuke pulled him all around the amusement park and they still hadn't gone on any rides.

"I like looking around!" Sasuke said.

"At least slow down," Gaara said, amused. "How can you even see anything at the rate we're going?"

"Sorry," Sasuke blushed, slowing down but not relinquishing Gaara's hand.

"Don't worry about it," Gaara shrugged, not really sure how to react.

"So, uh, what do you want to do?" Sasuke asked. Gaara smirked and pushed him to the side.

"This," he said, capturing Sasuke's lips.

* * *

"Why are we here again, danna?" Deidara asked, parking his motorcycle next to Sasori's car. "And why didn't we just take the same car?"

"Because Kisame, Gaara, Sasuke, Hidan, and Kakuzu somehow managed to get me to agree to take them home," Sasori grunted. "And you finally got over that fever. Take a break from studying- it's all you ever do nowadays!" Deidara rolled his eyes.

"First you encourage me to study and now you say that I'm doing it too much? Make up your mind, danna," Deidara said, walking ahead of him. Sasori stared after the blonde and sighed.

"That stupid idiot…" Sasori grumbled to himself.

"Hey," Itachi said, coming to stand next to the red head. Sasori looked between him and Kisame who had joined Deidara.

"Did you two ride the Ferris wheel again?" Sasori asked.

"Yep,"

"I don't know why you two do it… you've been going on it every year since I've known you and every year since then you've been getting into the same fight," Sasori said.

"It's tradition," Itachi said. "Where are Zetsu, Kakuzu, and Hidan?"

"Who knows?" Sasori shrugged. "Say… you ready for the dance?"

"Don't ask," Itachi grunted. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

"Suit yourself," Sasori said.

Itachi walked off in his own direction, remembering the conversation that he had with Sasuke and his mother.

* * *

Flashback

_"Itachi- why do your eyes look red?" Itachi and Sasuke exchanged nervous glances._

_"Mom... Dad probably got involved with Orochimaru because of the Sharingan..." Sasuke said._

_"The Sharingan?" Mikoto said. "That's just an old legend of the Uchiha to explain the elders' bad eye sight-"_

_"Mom, since we're being honest..." Itachi said. "I'm almost blind."_

"_That's impossible…" Mikoto said._

"_No mom, it's true," Sasuke said. "I don't have my full eyesight either." Itachi cursed silently in his head. He had hoped that the effects hadn't gone to Sasuke but... he looked carefully at his brother's eyes and he could see small traces of red in them._

_"Does this mean... that you'll both become blind?" Mikoto asked, her hand covering her mouth. "How could I have not noticed that my sons are almost blind?"_

_"Just me mom," Itachi said. "I think Sasuke's Sharingan only appeared because there were some leftovers from when I was born-"_

_"From when you were born?!" Mikoto demanded. "But it'd have to be-"_

_"In your womb," Sasuke sighed. "Dad... experimented on Itachi through your womb."_

_End Flashback_

"What are you doing all by yourself?" Deidara asked, standing next to him where he sat near the river.

"I thought you weren't going to speak to me tonight," Itachi stated.

_I see you standing here  
But you're so far away  
Starving for your attention  
You don't even know my name_

"Yeah, well, here I am," Deidara shrugged.

"You're annoyed with me," Itachi said after a pause. Deidara continued to look out at the river before his eyes turned to Itachi, entrancing him in a way no one had before.

_You're going through so much  
But I know that I could be the one to hold you_

"Deidara," Itachi said, almost backing up when Deidara kneeled down in between his spread out legs and brought his face closer to Itachi's.

"You either want me or him," Deidara said quietly. "I'm not going to be some back up for you to have when he's out racing or whatever. You either take him or me."

_Every single day  
I find it hard to say  
I could be yours alone_

Itachi stared at Deidara and how close he was. He felt himself tense out of anticipation when Deidara's lips were close enough that he could feel their breath mingling with the others.

_You will see someday  
That all along the way  
I was yours to hold  
I was yours to hold_

Deidara stayed like that for several more moments before he got up and began to walk away.

"Deidara, wait!" Itachi said, getting up to go after Deidara. He ran even though Deidara wasn't that far ahead. He grabbed onto Deidara's wrist and the surprised blonde lost his footing, landing in Itachi's chest. The new weight sent Itachi off balance and they fell into the river.

Itachi and Deidara swam to the surface, Itachi still having a hold on Deidara's waist. Both of them were soaking wet. Deidara's long hair covered some of his face. Itachi used his shoulder, propped up on the ground and holding Deidara's waist, to keep them from sinking as he brushed the hair out of Deidara's face.

_I see you walking by  
Your hair always hiding your face  
I wonder why you've been hurting  
I wish I had some way to say_

"What was that about?" Deidara asked, spitting out water that he had accidentally gotten into his mouth.

"I love you," Itachi said breathlessly. Deidara stared at him, not believing that those words had come out of Itachi's mouth.

"What?" Deidara asked.

"I love you," Itachi repeated.

_You're going through so much  
Don't you know that I could be the one to hold you_

"What about-?" Deidara asked.

"I just... we're not best fitted together," Itachi said, pushing Deidara out of the water and himself afterwards.

"Why not?" Deidara asked. Itachi pulled Deidara onto his chest as he lied down.

"We..." Itachi paused. "Just trust me when I say _both_ of us won't want each other anymore."

"Did you two finally figure out you were related, yeah?" Deidara asked dryly.

"You knew too?!" Itachi demanded, sitting up and accidentally jerking Deidara up.

"You're related?" Deidara asked, staring at Itachi. "Seriously?" And for the second time tonight, Itachi found hismelf in the same position.

_I'm stretching but you're just out of reach  
You should know  
I'm ready when you're ready for me  
And I'm waiting for the right time_

"Would you have chosen me anyways?" Deidara asked. Itachi sighed and bit his lip.

"I get it," Deidara said. "You need time to think." Itachi nodded.

_For the day I catch your eye  
To let you know  
That I'm yours to hold_

"You've got until the night of the dance. I'll meet you at the docks," Deidara said. "If you're not there..." Itachi nodded as Deidara walked away, still dripping wet.

_I'm stretching but you're just out of reach  
I'm ready when you're ready for me_

* * *

"Deidara?" Sasori asked, staring at the blonde. "You're dripping wet!"

"Felt like taking a swim... yeah," Deidara sighed and Sasori narrowed his eyes in suspiscion.

"Let's get you home," Sasori said. "Before you catch pnemonia."

"What about-"

"Kakuzu. My keys. I expect this car back at my house tomorrow," Sasori warned. "I'm taking Deidara home."

"How are you getting there?" Hidan asked.

"He brought his bike," Sasori grunted. "Keys, Deidara." Deidara handed his key over, allowing Sasori to be the one to drive home.

* * *

"Itachi?" Shisui asked. "You're soaking wet."

"We... we need to talk," Itachi said. Shisui sat up straighter. He noticed the defeat in Itachi's voice.

"I know we do," Shisui said. "But first, go take a shower and put on clothes... you're practically begging to catch pnemonia."

* * *

"Mikoto?" Fugaku asked, seeing his wife sitting in a chair with papers in front of her. "What are you still doing up?" Mikoto looked at Fugaku sadly.

"I want the truth, Fugaku," she said and after a small pause. "And I want a divorce."

* * *

Me: And that's chapter seventeen. Sorry that it's shorter then normal.

Deidara: What's with all these cliff hangers you write?

Me: They come with a writer's block I guess.

Deidara: Please review yeah.


	18. How Much Do You Love Seeing?

Me: Thanks for everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Please review again.

Deidara: And those of you who are reading and aren't reviewing, WE KNOW SO REVIEW!

Disclaimer: I no own.

* * *

Itachi got out of the shower, drying his hair after slipping boxers and shorts on. Eventually, he deemed his hair dry enough to put a shirt on over his head. He walked to wear Shisui was, sitting on the comfy chair diagonally set from the loveseat Shisui was on.

"So do you want to go first or do you want me too?" Shisui asked quietly.

Itachi shrugged, not looking at Shisui. Shisui sighed and decided to take the initiative.

"We're cousins,"

"I know," Itachi mumbled.

"Who told you?"

"Pein,"

"Who?"

"Akatsuki,"

"What?"

"Pein is the leader of a group called Akatsuki which seemingly has no reason for existing except to have the members of Akatsuki cause trouble and mayhem… He also ran that club we saw each other at,"

"That one," Shisui mused.

"And you?" Itachi asked. "How'd you find out?"

"Orochimaru… and Madara," Shisui said with distaste.

"Isn't he dead yet?" Itachi asked.

"No, the sicko's pretending to be some high school student," Shisui said. Itachi groaned and leaned back on the couch.

"Well if this isn't awkward…" Itachi drawled.

"Where do you want to go from here?" Shisui asked. "I'm not really to into dating my cousin…"

"Neither am I," Itachi said. "I don't know if things will ever be the same between us like when we were younger…" Shisui sighed and lay back too.

"You know if we were at the Uchiha mansion, they'd tell us, 'sit up straight, Uchihas must always have good posture,'" Shisui said.

"Well thankfully, we aren't there," Itachi said.

"Itachi… I was planning to get out of Konoha anyways…" Shisui said. "But then I met up with you again and I knew that Orochimaru was planning something so I stayed."

"What about Madara?"

"He doesn't want anything," Shisui said dismissively.

"You sure?"

"He's just bored," Shisui sighed.

"Orochimaru's not going to stop coming after me," Itachi said. "He'll find some way to get my Sharingan."

"It won't be of much use to you if you're blind," Shisui said.

"No, it will be a second sight… I'll just see everything in red and my life span will probably will be shortened every time I use it and since that'd be often… I'd die before I reach… twenty-five, if I'm lucky," Itachi said.

"You couldn't just keep it… inactivated, for lack of a better word?" Shisui asked.

"No, it activates when I get angry," Itachi said. "And I'm sure that I rely on my sight more then I like to think." Shisui was silent for a moment before he got up and returned with a folder.

"Orochimaru gave this to me," Shisui said. "I think that he was hoping that I wouldn't tell you about this and you'd stumble upon it by accident."

"What is it?" Itachi asked, reaching out for the folder. Shisui handed it to him.

"It talks about our family history to the extent that lets us know that we're related," Shisui said. "And there's some information about the Sharingan. I think Kabuto put more information in there then Orochimaru wanted him to."

"Why?" Itachi asked.

"Because it says here, 'Don't let Orochimaru get his hands on this part if you and your brother want to see again, Uchiha Itachi,'" Shisui said, pointing to a hidden paper hiding information.

"A surgeon who specializes in removing Sharingan?" Itachi asked skeptically. "What is this?"

"Kabuto has some weird want for Orochimaru," Shisui said. "And he wants you out of the picture so that he can be in the picture. Make sense?"

"No,"

"Well-"

"Who would want that pervert's attention?" Itachi sneered. Shisui smirked.

"But I think that this surgeon's your best bet," Shisui said. "He can operate on you and Sasuke in one week."

"What?! No!" Itachi protested standing up so quickly that the chair he was sitting on was knocked over.

"What could be more important then seeing clearly?" Shisui asked.

* * *

_"Mikoto?" Fugaku asked, seeing his wife sitting in a chair with papers in front of her. "What are you still doing up?" Mikoto looked at Fugaku sadly._

_"I want the truth, Fugaku," she said and after a small pause. "And I want a divorce."_

"What?" Fugaku asked. "What brought this on?"

"It's been coming for a long time, Fugaku," Mikoto said. "Surely this can't be too big of a surprise." Fugaku looked away from her. No, it wasn't a surprise… but why now?

"Why now? I thought that you were happy?" he asked.

"I was… But my sons never have been," Mikoto said.

"Our-"

"_My_ sons," she said firmly. "You want Itachi to marry that Haruno slut? She's a gold digger and Itachi can't stand her."

"It'd be a good investment for the family-"

"I don't care whether it's a good investment for the family. I want what's best for Itachi. I want your word that you'll stop looking for him and getting involved in his life. In fact, I want full custody," she said. "Here are the papers. Sign them."

"You have no where to go," Fugaku said, sounding more confident then he felt. You can't leave me-"

"Do you really think that I was cleaning the house all day long?" Mikoto asked. "I worked odd jobs here and there. I have enough saved up to put Sasuke through a community college and Itachi has been saving for both of their college funds since he turned thirteen. Sasuke, with his brains, could get a full scholarship just like Itachi but you refuse to see how brilliant Sasuke is. You compare him to his older brother constantly and belittle him. I don't want you anywhere near my sons."

"You can't leave me!" Fugaku hissed. "I'll hunt you down-"

"Sign those papers, Fugaku. If you don't sign them now, a judge will make you. l've takn my case to a judge. You'll be charged with child abuse and illegal experimentation," Mikoto snapped. "And while we're on that subject- you took away my sons' sight!"

"You mean… it worked?" Fugaku asked.

* * *

Four days after...

"Two and half days or so left..." Shisui said. "Hey! Don't get cold feet on me now, Itachi."

"I'm not," Itachi said quietly. "I need to get Sasuke and have him stay here... is that okay?"

"That's fine," Shisui said. "I haven't seen him for a long time. How is he?

Itachi didn't answer, he just got up and picked up the keys. "Let's go. I need to get Sasori."

"Why Sasori?"

"He knows everything about these shady doctors," Itachi said.

"Sasuke, what are we doing here?" Gaara asked. Sasuke took a deep breath and smiled at Gaara.

"What? Don't you want to see where I grew up?" Sasuke asked.

"I've already seen where you grew up," Gaara reminded him. Sasuke's smile faded when he looked at the house, at the police car in the driveway.

"My da- Fugaku's home..." Sasuke said quietly. Gaara sighed and put his arm around Sasuke awkwardly.

"Is your mom home?"

"Probably,"

"Is that safe?"

"She says she'll be fine," Sasuke said as the front door slammed open. Fugaku Uchiha stormed out of the house. He had finally signed the custody papers and he wasn't happy when his eyes landed on Sasuke and Gaara in the driveway. He began making his way over to them.

"Run," Sasuke said, pushing Gaara.

"I'm not leaving without you," he said firmly, grabbing Sasuke's hand and putting it on his heart. "You once called me a heartless bastard but that can't be true because I care about you." Sasuke stared at him until Gaara grabbed him and pulled him behind himself.

"Sasuke, did it work?" Fugaku asked, trying to reach around Gaara. "Did the experiment work?" Sasuke cringed when Gaara took a step back, forcing him to as well.

"Are you drunk?" Sasuke asked.

"S-Sasuke, did it work?" Fugaku persisted. "This- this is unexpected! This is amazing! Does your brother have one too? It worked! How does it work- show me!" Fugaku pushed Gaara out of the way and took his youngest son by the shoulders. He shook him slightly. "How does it work, Sasuke?!"

"Let go of me!" Sasuke shouted. "Let go!"

"Don't be a bad boy, Sasuke. Show daddy. Show daddy your Sharingan," Fugaku said and then his expression changed from angst and excitement to anger and frustration. "Damn it, Sasuke! You worthless child! You don't have it, do you?! You never should have been born!" Something in Sasuke snapped. He felt his eyes burning and his blood was rippling. He heard someone scream and then he realized it was himself.

"Sasuke!" Gaara shouted. "What did you do to him?! Get off of him!"

"Shut up, you stupid boy!" Fugaku shouted.

"What are you doing?! Fugaku, let go of them!" Sasuke could barely make out his mother's voice. When he opened his eyes, he could see no color but red. He felt himself seething in anger and he didn't know why. He embraced the feeling, liking it. As his mother and Gaara tried to get his father off of him, he caught glimpses of black marks on his arm.

A slow, drawn out smirk appeared on his face but no one was paying attention. He saw everything in slow motion. He could guess everyone's next movement.

And he hated and loved it.

"Sasuke!" Mikoto cried. Sasuke snapped out of his trance that made him so aware of the power he seemed to possess. He caught both Gaara and Fugaku's fists. He twisted his father's fist painfully and let Gaara's drop easily. He then kicked the man while still holding onto his wrist.

"Tell me, _father_," Sasuke spat the word like poison. "Do you think it worked?"

* * *

"Itachi? What are you doing here?" Sasori asked. "And with him?"

"This is Shisui Uchiha," Itachi said. Sasori raised an eyebrow. "I need you to check out this guy's credentials." Sasori took the folder and flipped it open.

"Eye surgery?" Sasori asked. "You think your eye sight's that bad?"

"My dad experimented on my mom's womb when she was pregnant with me. Orochimaru gave this folder to Shisui-"

"Isn't that reson enough not to trust him?" Sasori interrupted, still flipping through it.

"And Kabuto gave him the name of a surgeon who specializes in odd cases like this," Itachi finished, giving Sasori an annoyed look. "Read it in the car. I need to get Sasuke."

"I'm driving," Sasori announced, pushing the folder into Itachi's house. "Keys."

"Oh thank god," Shisui muttered.

"Itachi drove?" Sasori asked, settling himself into the driver's seat.

"Yes,"

"Don't you race?"

"Yeah but I don't cut close corners at eighty miles an hour,"

"Oh... you're going to die then," Sasori stated, igniting the engine.

"What?"

"Do any of you Akatsuki people obey traffic laws?!" Shisui demanded.

"Yeah, two!" Itachi answered.

"What would that be? Wear your seat belt?! What's the other one?!"

"Stop at the red light," Sasori said calmly, slamming on the breaks.

"You're a crazier driver then you let on," Itachi commented.

"Yes, well, Deidara isn't here,"

"Who?"

"The blonde," Sasori said. "Itachi, from here, what's the fastest way to get to your house?" Itachi could see the smirk forming on the red head's face.

"The short cut,"

"Perfect," Sasori smirked and when the light turned green, he sped off.

Sasuke didn't know why but he wanted to kill his father. He wanted to see his blood shed on the floor. He had never wanted to kill him before, so why now? That thought left as quickly as it came. All he wanted to do was make him pay!

"Sasuke! St-stop!" Fugaku stutterd, his lower lip bleeding from when Gaara had punched him, his nose broken from when Sasuke had kicked him, and he was beginning to sport a black eye.

"What did you do to me, _dad_?" Sasuke grinned. "I feel... so... so_..._" -_Powerful! I feel like killing you, seeing your blood spill!-_

But he never completed his sentence because he was interrupted by the screeching of tires.

"Looks like we got here just in time," Sasori muttered.

"What the hell happened?" Shisui muttered.

"Fugaku pushed him to the limit," Itachi hissed, getting out of the car and slamming the door. "Sasuke!"

"Itachi, I feel so- so powerful!" Sasuke laughed. "Is this what if feels like with your Sharingan? Is it?"

"Sasuke, you need to fight it," Itachi said cautiously. "That's not a normal Sharingan-" he was cut off as Sasuke let his father drop to the ground and ran over to him, aiming a kick right at Itachi's heart. Itachi moved out of the way and Sasuke's foot skimmed across the roof of the car.

"Sasuke!" Itachi hissed, his eyes beginning to bleed red. He tried hard to fight it, to keep his mind clear.

"Come on, brother!" Sasuke said. "Doesn't the power feel awesome? Doesn't it feel good?"

"No, Sasuke, it doesn't!" Itachi snapped as Sasuke aimed a series of kicks and punches at him. The Sharingan had definitely improved Sasuke's stamina and speed. Any fool could see that. It put him on par with Itachi and as Sasuke's foot slammed into his chest, sending him backwards into the brick wall, Itachi knew that Sasuke was dangerously close to surpassing Itachi's skills.

* * *

Me: That's chapter 18! Seriously guys, review... It sucks that there's over 81 people reading my story and barely any reviewing... thanks everyone that did.

Sasuke: You made me power hungry...


	19. Damn It All To Hell

Me: This is chapter 19. Please read and review.

Deidara: Thanks to those who reviwed the last chapter.

Itacih: Review.

Disclaimer: I no own.

* * *

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_The Sharingan had definitely improved Sasuke's stamina and speed. Any fool could see that. It put him on par with Itachi and as Sasuke's foot slammed into his chest, sending him backwards into the brick wall, Itachi knew that Sasuke was dangerously close to surpassing Itachi's skills._

_End Recap_

* * *

"What's wrong Itachi?" Sasuke laughed. "Something holding you back?" Itachi groaned as Sasori rushed to his side. Shisui had gone to his other relatives and Gaara, ready to protect them from Sasuke.

"I can take him," Sasori whispered to him. "Just say the word."

"No," Itachi groaned again. He looked at his Sasori for help and got up with Sasori's help.

"You didn't hit your head. Don't make the mistake of letting him get faster," Sasori warned.

'I think I already have,' Itachi thought. He looked at his little brother for any signs of weakness. He looked from his legs to his stomach to his arms, shoulders, neck, face- eyes. In Sasuke's eyes were unshed tears.

'Power hurts, Sasuke,' Itachi thought grimly, pushing himself off the wall and jumping into the air, spinning in the air to aim for Sasuke's head. Sasuke grabbed his leg before it his neck and dropped it, moving back when Itachi used his other leg to do a drop kick to his little brother's head. Sasuke didn't make that one out unscathed- but it would only bruise his shoulder later.

"Sasuke, gain control of it," Itachi said. "You can't let it rule you." It was pitch black and getting harder to see. The only light was the stars, the crescent moon, and the sorry excuse for a street lamp that needed to be fixed.

"Shut up!" Sasuke roared, charging in for a punch. Itachi held his ground, waiting until Sasuke closed in to shoot his front foot out into Sasuke's stomach but Sasuke stepped back and hooked Itachi's foot, pulling him closer and forcing him to engage in hand to hand combat. Itachi maneuvered away from Sasuke even though the younger Uchiha was still hot on his tail. He paused in a forward stance to hit Sasuke with a back kick. Sasuke took the kick to the side of his face before jumping onto the car and aiming a spinning crescent kick to Itachi's head.

Sasuke's foot barely missed Itachi's forehead and Itachi knew that he was cutting it to close.

"Damn it, Sasuke," Itachi snarled. "Damn it all!" He felt his eyes bleed red. He could see the different shades of red the angrier he let himself get. He could hear his mother sobbing, Sasori sucking in a breath, Gaara and Shisui trying to shield his mother from the fight…

And for the first time since his Sharingan activated, he could see clearly.

"You brought this on yourself, Sasuke," Itachi hissed. "You'd better get that Sharingan of yours under control and you'd better be damn ready for the consequences!" Faster then he'd ever been, he got behind his brother, punching him and throwing him to the ground.

"Damn you!" Sasuke shouted, getting up to punch his brother but Itachi was ready for him. He reached out and grabbed Sasuke's wrist and arm, redirecting him and pinning him to the car's hood.

"Do you understand now, Sasuke?" Itachi whispered into his ear harshly. "This is what it means to have true power!" He stepped back as Sasuke aimed kicks for his shins and moved easily out of the way as Sasuke did a spinning back kick followed by a spitfire of punches. Itachi kept moving back and finally he stopped and kicked Sasuke's chin, sending the boy backwards and onto the ground. He heard his mother let out a cry and he glanced over, silently thanking Shisui for holding her back.

Itachi forced some of the anger down, getting control of his Sharingan. He realized dully that it was sun rise and when Sasuke looked up again he saw what he was looking for- the distorted red that meant Sasuke was slowly but surely returning to his senses.

He heard footsteps and he was about to tell Shisui off for not watching his mother but he saw Gaara instead.

"Sasuke, you need to calm down," Gaara said in a pained voice. "You need to stop."

"I… I can't," Sasuke hissed, struggling between obsidian black and wine red.

"You have to," Gaara said. "You're the only person I've ever cared to even _think_ about since my mother… you can't let yourself be controlled by this." Sasuke struggled for a few moments and then the red slowly began lightening and the black marks on his body began to disappear. His obsidian black eyes connected with Itachi's for a moment before they closed and he fainted. Gaara was already at his side, followed by Itachi, Mikoto, and Sasori.

"He probably has a minor concussion," Sasori grumbled, putting his fingers on Sasuke's neck to check his pulse. "Pulse is good. I'm going to call an ambulance… nobody move him, wait until the ambulance gets here…"

"You did it Sasuke…" Itachi whispered, burying his head in his brother's shoulder. "True power is control… I'm just sorry you had to learn it the hard way…"

* * *

Sasuke awoke in the ambulance, seeing medical attendants and his mother and brother.

"Try and stay awake, kid. Can you do that for me?"

"Oh, Sasuke, my brave boy…"

"Hang in there, little brother,"

* * *

"He's awake," Itachi announced quietly.

"Itachi?" Sasuke yawned. "Where am I?"

"In a hospital," Itachi said. "You're fine; they want to keep you overnight. You have a mild concussion… I'm-"

"Its fine," Sasuke whispered. "You warned me that I'd better be ready to face the consequences and… here I am." Itachi returned Sasuke's smile weakly.

"Shisui, Gaara, I need a moment alone with my brother," Itachi said. Shisui nodded and waited for Gaara, who reluctantly got up and followed him out. Itachi and Sasuke waited until the door shut with a 'click' to start talking.

"So what's going on? Did I get you?" Sasuke asked with a lopsided smile.

"I won't deny that I have a few bruises," Itachi smirked. "But I think I got you better."

"Well you're better at everything," Sasuke said.

"You know that's not true," Itachi said.

"Yes it is. You're top of the class-"

"I'm good at what I do because I study long and hard. Unlike Naruto, Kisame didn't keep me from studying," Itachi grimaced. "But there's something important I need to talk to you about."

"But first, where's mom?" Sasuke asked.

"In court," Itachi said. "The court gave her a last minute hearing."

"Oh, so what is it then?"

"If we keep the Sharingan, we will go permanently blind or almost blind," Itachi said. "There's a surgeon who can remove the Sharingan so that we never have to deal with this again."

"When?" Sasuke asked.

"Tomorrow," Itachi said. "Are you willing?"

"Of course," Sasuke said. "But…"

"But what?"

"What's it going to be like without it?" Sasuke asked.

"Safe," Itachi said. There was a knock on the door and both Uchihas turned to look at it before Kisame came in.

"If you two brothers are done, there are people who'd like to see you guys," he said.

"So we'll get the operation done tomorrow," Itachi whispered.

"Both of us?" Sasuke whispered back.

"Both of us," Itachi said.

"Okay, Kisame," Sasuke said. "Send them in."

* * *

Itachi left the hospital with Kisame and Shisui.

"Do you want to stay at my place, Itachi?" Kisame asked.

"No, I need to stay with Shisui tonight and then we're going to pick Sasuke up from the hospital... get him discharged," Itachi said.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Kisame asked. Itachi and Shisui stopped.

"Do you want to tell him?" Shisui whispered to him. Itachi looked at his best friend and nodded. "I'll meet you at the car," Shisui said. The two best friends waited until the oldest Uchiha was out of earshot.

"What's going on Itachi? You never hide things from me," Kisame said.

"I'm not trying to," Itachi said. "Sasuke and I are getting an operation done tomorrow, which is why I can't stay at your place tonight." Kisame sucked in a breath.

"You said your eyesight wasn't that bad," Kisame said.

"It wasn't but it will be. There's a surgeon who specializes in cases like Sasuke's and mines," Itachi said.

"And how do you know he's trustworthy?" Kisame asked.

"Because we will be going with him, Kisame," Sasori spoke.

"What?" Itachi said.

"I will go to provide medical safety from your surgeon if he provides a threat," Sasori said. "I will go over his plans with him before the operation and I will watch over you during the operation. If he poses a threat that I do not like, Kisame will be there."

"Aren't you Iwagakure-ians always saying how tough you are?" Kisame asked.

"I'm originally from Sunagakure, Kisame," Sasori said. "And while I do not look that strong, you, Kisame, do."

"So the brains and the brawn?" Itachi drawled.

"We will be there, Itachi," Sasori said. "If not for yourself, then let us watch over your younger brother."

"Fine," Itachi said. "But..."

"If you really want to meet Deidara, then you will," Sasori said. "But right now, what's important is your eyesight."

"What're you thinking about?" Shisui asked.

"What I'm going to do about tomorrow," Itachi sighed.

"You're going to get the Sharingan removed and you and your brother will be fine,"

"It's not about the operation. It's about Deidara," Itachi sighed.

"What about him?" Shisui asked.

"Tomorrow's the dance and he's not taking my calls. Sasori won't give him any sort of message from me either," Itachi said.

"Why don't you just go to his house?"

"Because he lives with Sasori and Sasori is absolute that if Deidara and I were meant to be then we'll find each other in time for the dance after the operation," Itachi said.

"Sorry, Itachi," Shisui said. "But I agree with Sasori on this one."

"Why?"

"Because if Deidara really wanted to take your calls, then he would. He's making you chase him. I doubt if you gave him a message through Sasori that he'd listen," Shisui said. Itachi glared at the road.

"I want to drive," he said.

"Not a chance,"

* * *

"What's got you sitting around here?" Sasori asked.

"Nothing," Deidara grumbled. Sasori raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Don't keep me waiting, Deidara," Sasori said.

"For someone who says that he isn't patient, you sure are patient," Deidara said.

"Deidara..."

"I'm just thinking about tomorrow... what if he doesn't show?"

"Dei... he's probably going to be later then you expect, so try and wait a little longer for him," Sasori said. Deidara turned to him with a frown.

"You know something, don't you, yeah?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sasori said gruffly, turning around to walk out the door.

"Sasori-danna, get back here! You know something, yeah!" Deidara said, getting up and chasing after Sasori. "Sasori-danna!"

* * *

"So we're meeting Sasori and Kisame at the hospital to get Sasuke and then we're going to that surgeon's place?" Itachi said.

"Yep," Shisui said.

"I don't think they should go," Itachi said.

"I think they should," Shisui said. "They'll protect you and Sasuke."

"Couldn't you do that just fine?"

"If there's more then two highly trained assassians?"

"What makes you think there will be?"

"Better to be safe then sorry," Shisui shrugged.

* * *

Day of the Operation...

Sasuke sat in the middle of the backseat, head leaning on his older brother. Sasori was driving (the speed limit), Kisame was in the passenger's seat, and Shisui was sitting on his left. He didn't really remember Shisui. He only remembered someone coming and his older brother would hang out with him.

"Shisui, do you have a Sharingan too?" Sasuke asked.

"No," Shisui said. "Just the martial arts talent of the Uchihas... I see you've tapped into yours."

"That was all the Sharingan," Sasuke mumbled.

"No, that was the Sharingan enhancing your abilities," Itachi answered dully. "You noticed that every thing seemed to slow down and you could predict my every next move, right?"

"Until you activated yours," Sasuke said.

"That's because you weren't born first and didn't get the full effects. We were actually fighting at normal speed but the Sharingan just heightens our awareness of presented threats," Itachi said.

"How did you figure that out?" Kisame asked. "You never said anything about it before."

"It's in the file," Shisui, Sasori, and Itachi said at the same time. Kisame sighed.

"Of course it is..."

"What file?" Sasuke asked.

"You don't want to read it, Sasuke," Sasori said.

"Yes I do!"

"No, you don't," Sasori said.

"Well why not?!"

"Because Itachi threw the folder down himself when he saw your mom naked-" Shisui smirked.

"Never mind..." Sasuke said. Itachi rolled his eyes at the lie. They just didn't want him to see it because he might turn back if he realized that not all the Sharingan made the user go blind and Sasuke's wasn't going to make him go blind... it would give him the power he had the other night and more.

* * *

"Kabuto, you're here?" Sasori asked.

"I am... I thought since I gave you the address, I might as well oversee the procedure, make sure everything goes smoothly," Kabuto said. "How did your friend like the bike?"

"You can figure that out by yourself," Sasori said. "I'd also like to watch... as would these two."

"I was actually hoping you'd come, Sasori. You could help assist me,"

"You've done this before then?"

"Several times. Each case wasn't a Sharingan but... needless to say, I have the expertiste."

"Can we trust him?" Kisame muttered to Sasori.

"We can," Sasori said. "Who is the head doctor that we've heard so much about?"

"That would be me,"

"Principal Tsunade?" all but Shisui and Kabuto voiced.

* * *

Me: This is chapter 19.

Deidara: Bet you readers weren't expecting that one! Review please, yeah!


	20. Operations

Me: Here's chapter twenty.

Deidara: Why have I been getting little to no screen time? Please review.

Disclaimer: I no own.

I have no medical knowledge. If I do, its close to none because mine's basic stuff (bandaids, alcohol cleans wounds... stuff like that) So the medical things you read here may or may not correspond with real life operations. Don't actually try the procedure because it will hurt and you will probably die and if you live, you'd probably end up blind.

So don't try it!

Please review.

* * *

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_"Who is the head doctor that we've heard so much about?"_

_"That would be me,"_

_"Principal Tsunade?" all but Shisui and Kabuto voiced._

_End Recap_

* * *

"Knock it off. I've been sober all day for these procedures. Sasori, come with me, Uchiha brothers, you come too. The operation room isn't big enough to hold all of us. Kisame and other Uchiha will have to wait outside."

"But-" Kisame tried to protest.

"No, Kisame," Tsunade said. "The window is breakable and the door won't be locked. You can barge in any time you see fit unless there's squirting blood- that will be natural. Uchiha brothers, on the tables. We're going to go over what's going to happen and you're going to be going under. I'm going to dose you boys a little heavily. Trust me, you don't want to wake up before this is over."

"Sasori, take the scapel," Tsunade said. "You're not going to like doing this but you've had more medical experience than Kabuto."

"What am I doing?" Sasori asked.

"Watch what I do with Sasuke," Tsunade said. "I'm not going to be able to leave Sasuke and Kabuto will help you with Itachi. This is a critical point in the operation but after this it only gets worse." Sasori nodded, watching as she lifted Sasuke's closed eyelids up and shoot the eyes with a laser.

"What's so important about that?" Sasori asked.

"This is a laser that sets apart the actual eye and the invader- the invader being the Sharingan," Kabuto explained. "The reason this is so important is because-" He was cut off as Sasuke let out a blood curling scream. Sasori sucked in a breath as Tsunade moved quickly, working to clot the blood, trying to drain it from the eye.

"Go work on Itachi, now!" Tsunade commanded.

"But-"

"I'll work on stabalizing Sasuke but hurry up! We want them awake at the same time!" Tsunade ordered. "We can_not _have them wake up before the end of this procedure or they _will_ die from the pain!" Sasori pulled the laser from Sasuke to Itachi, working with Kabuto. Kabuto put a hand on Sasori's to keep him from turning on the laser.

"Kabuto?" Sasori asked.

"Itachi will bleed a lot faster and probably much more then Sasuke because he's older and the Sharingan is more developed. The Sharingan is red because of a sick mutation of implanted blood in the system. Do not stop clotting the blood until the machine says that he is stable- even if the blood flow begins to lessen. Got it?"

"Yeah, I-"

"Kabuto, give me a hand over here!" Tsunade commanded.

"You're on your own," Kabuto said, "Good luck." He clapped Sasori on the shoulder and went to go help Tsunade with Sasuke. Sasori chanced a glance at Sasuke and he was almost frozen to the spot. Blood had escaped from his eyes but it was flowing down his face- almost like tears. He almost stayed staring at Sasuke but he accidentally brushed against Itachi. _'"I'm just thinking about tomorrow... what if he doesn't show?""Dei... he's probably going to be later then you expect, so try and wait a little longer for him," Sasori said.'_

"Wait a little longer, Deidara," Sasori mumbled, taking the laser down to Itachi's eyes. "He'll be there eventually." As Kabuto predicted, the blood sprayed out of Itachi's eyes sooner then Sasuke's did. He began his attempt to clot the blood and cursed as it began to seep through the material he was using wthin seconds.

"Shisui, get your ass in here!" Sasori shouted. "Kabuto, do you have thicker material?" Shisui threw the door open, looking dangerous.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Kisame, in the cabinet, there's thicker towels," Kabuto said. "Itachi's going to need those." Shisui went to the cabinet, frowning when they wouldn't open. He saw the little key hole pointed the wrong way.

"It's stuck! Where's the key?"

"Right here," Kisame said, practically shoving Shisui out of the way and grabbing onto the handles. He tugged to no avail.

"Hurry, we're losing him!" Sasori shouted. Kisame cursed before stepping back and punching the lock, creating a hole in the cabinet. Shisui reached his arm through and grabbed as much material as he could.

"How's this?" Shisui asked, putting towels on the table and putting one in Sasori's hand.

"We'll have a better chance of stabalizing if we each work on one eye..." Sasori grunted. "Don't let the blood go upwards into his eyes- down the sides are fine."

"Kisame, go get alcohal," Tsunade ordered. "We don't have enough for both of them at the moment. It's in the upper cabinet- the ones with no locks, grab as many as you can and split them between Sasuke and Itachi."

"What's the alcohal for?" Shisui asked.

"It's for after the blood stops... if it stops," Kabuto said. "The mutated blood can still affect them if we don't get if off before it dried but with so much blood running down, we don't need to worry about it drying... yet."

"Shock cart!" Tsunade ordered. "His symptoms are too low! We'll lose Sasuke if this keeps going on!"

"Damn it!" Sasori hissed, glancing at Sasuke. "Tsunade, take over Itachi!"

"What?! Are you serious? Do you-"

"There's a trail of blood going down his throat- you said it'll still effect him right?!"

"It's dried…" Tsunade whispered. "Well what can you do about it? His heart will fail!"

"No it won't!" Sasori said. "On three- three!" Tsunade and Sasori switched places.

"What happened to one and two?!" Tsunade demanded.

"I'm not that patient!" Sasori snapped. "Scalpel," Sasori muttered to Kabuto and found one instantly in his hand. He cut down Sasuke's shirt, cursing as he saw the blood mutating the skin.

"Why are you cutting down there?!" Kisame asked.

"Because the mutated blood will mutate his skin if it's not treated!" Sasori snapped. "He'll need a jump start and then I'm going to cut him open- cut off the blood flow in some areas."

"Will that work?" Kabuto asked, prepping Sasuke for the shock cart.

"It'd better," Sasori hissed. "One, two, three- clear! Alright, standby with the cart."

"Have you done this before?" Kabuto asked.

"Yeah- with my own body," Sasori said, cutting Sasuke's body open.

"How much more time do we have before they wake up?!" Sasori shouted.

"Just over an hour!"

"How long did you dose him for?"

"Three and a half!" Tsunade said. "But the Sharingan will fight the dose and weaken it, giving us less time."

"So how long do we have?" Kabuto asked.

"Worse case scenario," Tsunade said grimly. "Fifteen minutes."

"String, I need string!" Sasori snapped. It was pushed into his hands and as fast as he could, Sasori began cutting off Sasuke's organs that the mutated blood was most likely to invade.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Kisame demanded.

"Very but it's either this or he dies immediately!" Sasori snapped. "Call Hidan and tell him to get his ass over here! He's pretty damn good at stitching himself up!"

"Seriously?!"

"Yes!" Sasori said. "Tell him he's got fifteen minutes or he's going in the slammer!" Kisame got out of the room, closing the door before calling Hidan.

"We're losing Itachi!" Shisui shouted. "What's wrong? He was fine a minute ago!"

"He's losing too much blood!" Tsunade said. "Over the years the mutated blood began to mix with his- there's blood bags in there! We need an IV stat!" Shisui grabbed a blood bag and a needle. Tsunade switched holding the gauze with him and hooked the blood up to Itachi.

"How much more blood do we have left?" Tsunade asked, looking at the heart monitor and the blood going too quickly into Itachi.

"Two more bags," Shisui said. Tsunade cursed.

"That's not going to be enough for both of them if Sasuke is using up blood as fast as Itachi- we need the same blood type now! They're type AB!"

"Me- I'm they're cousin. I'm type AB," Shisui said. Tsunade looked at him and nodded.

"We'll probably need your blood for Itachi- save a bag for Sasuke," Tsunade said. "Kisame, get your ass in here!"

"He can't here you from out there," Kabuto reminded her.

"Well we can't leave patients in critical need!" Tsunade snapped. Shisui reached for another towel at the end of the table and then kicked himself off of the floor, twisting his body enough so that he could kick the window and shatter it.

"Kisame, get in here!" Shisui shouted. Kisame opened the door.

"What's going on? Are they alright?" Kisame asked.

"Is Hidan on his way?"

"I couldn't get ahold of him so I had to get Kakuzu on his fourth cell phone," Kisame said.

"You need to go down to where Shizune is and tell her that we need bags of donor blood that can go into AB+ blood," Tsunade said. "She's down one floor- underground in a lab. Tell her a.s.a.p."

"Got it," Kisame said, running out and downstairs.

"How's Sasuke?" Tsuande asked.

"Can you close him up, Kabuto?" Sasori asked.

"Yes, I can," Kabuto said. Sasori passed the needle and thread to Kabuto and switched to clotting his eyes.

"The blood stopped for Sasuke, now what?!" Sasori demanded.

"Take off the rags and see what color his eyes are,"

"Black,"

"Is there any trace of red? Even the smallest glare?" Kabuto asked. Sasori looked through the boy's eyes.

"He's clear," Sasori said.

"Clean the blood off of him and use alcohol- don't be afraid to get it in his eyes. That will clear any traces that we didn't get," Kabuto said.

"Won't that hurt him like hell?" Shisui asked.

"No because there will still be remnants of pain from that scream. This will be nothing," Tsunade said. "I'm surprised Itachi hasn't screamed- Shisui, it's time to get you hooked up to him. You're going to lose a lot of blood."

"Just do it," Shisui snapped. He winced when he felt the needle prick his arm and he looked away as his blood flowed into Itachi's.

"Itachi's stabilizing," Tsunade breathed. "We're still going to need those blood bags. How's Sasuke?"

"Stabilized," Kabuto said. "And just in time too," Sasori stood in front of Sasuke, blocking his view of Itachi.

"Sa…Sasori?" Sasuke asked.

"You lost a lot of blood," Sasori informed him. "We almost lost you there…" Sasuke smiled weakly and looked down.

"Why is my shirt open?"

"We had to tie off some organs so they wouldn't get infected," Sasori said. "Don't worry about it,"

"Crap, if Sasuke's awake, Itachi will be waking up too," Tsunade cursed. "Sasori, get Sasuke out of here. We're in for hell when Itachi wakes up."

"You mean if," Shisui corrected.

"No, when," Tsunade said. As Sasori got Sasuke out of the door, they heard screaming that put Sasuke's earlier screams to shame.

"Itachi!" Sasuke said, beginning to struggle.

"Don't, struggle!" Sasori snapped. "You'll open your stitches and we can't put you under again or you'll die! Just let us take care of your brother!" He put Sasuke down as far away as he could from seeing his brother and hearing the screams.

"Stay here," Sasori warned. "If you move for no good reason, I'll turn you into one of my puppets." Sasuke stared in shock as Sasori ran back down the hall.

"Strap him down!" Tsunade ordered, pinning Itachi down. Sasori grabbed hold of one of his hands, strapping it down before moving quickly to his feet and then his other hand.

"It hurts!" Itachi screamed. "Let me go- I can't do this anymore!"

* * *

Me: And that's chapter 20... if you review, the sooner you find out what happens to Itachi. o.O

Itachi: Isn't that blackmail?

Me: It's a relative term.

Sasori: So review.


	21. Blood, Blood, and More Blood

Me: Now I deal to you chapter twenty-one... I can't believe I made it this far. Please read and review. Thanks for reviewing! I have one hundred and one reviews! Thanks so much!

**Warning: Character Death and don't assume about who dies.**

* * *

_Recap of Last chapter_

"_It hurts!" Itachi screamed. "Let me go- I can't do this anymore!"_

_End Recap_

* * *

"Itachi Uchiha!" Shisui snapped. "You are an Uchiha and Uchihas don't scream their heads off- they don't show weakness, period! You get your act together because your little brother has to listen to your screams and you're making everyone go deaf! Shut up and calm yourself down- don't let the pain rule you!" Itachi took deep breaths, trying to not scream.

"S-Sasuke's-!" Itachi tried to muffle a scream as Sasori saw a vein running down his neck turn from blue to purple.

"He's going to get infected!" Sasori hissed. "Shisui, stop giving him blood!"

"But-!"

"No, Sasori's right," Tsunade said. "If you keep giving him blood, it will just get infected!" Shisui took the needle out and Kabuto immediately tended to his wound, closing it up.

"I thought he was stable!" Sasoru snapped.

"And then he woke up!" Tsunade hissed.

"He can_not_ die!" Sasori hissed. "Do you hear me, Itachi Uchiha?! You can't die!" Itachi's eyes opened and before anyone knew what happened, he cut a strap with a knife from his pocket and cut down his neck. Sasori tried to cover the wound with his hands as the blood sprayed onto him.

"What the hell did you do?!" Kabuto demanded.

"Al-alcohol," Itachi gritted. Sasori dumped a ton onto a fresh towel, not caring that some spilled onto the floor and gave it to Itachi who dropped the knife and pressed it against his neck, screaming because of it. Itachi was about to fling it away out of pain but Sasori pressed his hand against Itachi, forcing him to keep the alcohol soaked towel against his neck.

"Just kill me now!" Itachi hissed.

"Not on your life," Sasori snapped. "You're almost through- keep up the adrenaline!"

Itachi awoke to nothing but white. Slowly, the walls began to take form and he looked to the side. He saw a tuft of black hair and felt a small body cuddled against him. Sasuke.

"You're finally awake," Sasori sighed in relief.

"How long was I out?"

"Half an hour," Sasori said. "You're stable- all of you Uchihas."

"Shisui?" Itachi asked. "What happened to-"

"After getting blood, he left. Tsunade didn't feel the need to keep him overnight,"

"What happened to him that he needed blood?" Itachi asked.

"He gave blood to you," Sasori answered.

"And Sasuke?" Itachi asked. "Is he going to be alright?"

"He's gonna be fucking fine, you asshole," Hidan snapped. "You could have fucking told us that you were going into god damn surgery. I had to sew your brother's ass up and not sacrifice his sorry ass, you son of a bitch."

"So sorry to ruin your sacrificing ritual," Itachi rolled his eyes. "Where's Kisame?"

"He went to the bathroom before you got up," Sasori said. "Bathroom's all the way down the hall." Itachi sat up straight.

"What time is it?" he asked.

"It's nine-thirty," Sasori said. "Better get dressed."

"Hold on, where do you think you're going?" Tsunade demanded, barging into the room with Kisame as Itachi shrugged off his pants and switched them for the pair that were hanging with the tuxedo.

"To the docks," Itachi said, hurriedly getting on the shirt and buttoning it up. Sasori began to take over the buttons as Itachi grabbed for the jacket and tie.

"You just got out of critical surgery!" Tsunade gaped at him. "As my patient, I can't allow you to drive- especially not as you drive- after that! You were begging us to kill you in there!"

"I'll drive him," Kisame said, already in a tux and he attached a corsage onto Itachi's jacket pocket. "This one's for Deidara..."

"Thanks, Kisame, Sasori," Itachi muttered. "Uh, thanks Principal-"

"Stop it now, Itachi! Your apologies sound like shit," Tsunade groaned. "I'm going to go have a beer..."

"That's our principal," Itachi muttered. "Is Sasuke going to be alright? I can tell Gaara-"

"He's staying here for the night," Sasori said. "I already notified Gaara and in the morning, I'll bring Sasuke over to see him. Get going before you miss Deidara." Itachi nodded and he and Kisame were about to head out the door when Sasori stopped them.

"Itachi, Kisame..." Sasori said. They turned and a flash went off in their eyes. "Now you can go," he said, looking at the camera. "I'd make a good photographer..."

"You know damn well that you'd make a fucking better firework," Hidan sneered. Sasori glared at him before taking a picture of him too.

* * *

"Seatbelts," Kisame answered, putting his on. When he heard a click from Itachi's seat belt, he turned the engine on and backed out of the driveway onto the road.

"How long are you going to go the speed limit?" Itachi asked, annoyed. "At this rate, I'll miss him!"

"Hold your horses, Itachi." Kisame muttered. He then switched gears and pressed down on the gas pedal.

"I want to drive!" Itachi shouted.

"Doctor's orders said that you can't!" Kisame shouted back. "So you're going to have to deal with this!"

"Can you even drift?!"

"Of course I can- I showed you how!"

"That was you?!"

"I'm never taking your ass drunk driving again!" Kisame snapped.

Kisame came to a skidding halt on the docks and Itachi got out, pausing to say something to Kisame.

"Give me ten minutes before you come looking for me," Itachi ordered. "And Kisame..."

"You're welcome," Kisame said. "Now get your ass moving."

There was something familiar about this night but he didn't know what. He ran, looking for Deidara with a corsage in his hand and he was pretty damn sure that it was going to wilt soon. The surgery seemed to take more out of him then he realized for pretty soon he was out of breath.

"Where are you, damn it?! I'm here! I made it! I made it…" he said collapsing to his knees. "Where are you?" He looked around wildly, trying to catch his breath as he did so. He got up again and leaned against some of the unloaded cargo.

"Deidara!" he shouted.

"Help!" he'd never heard a voice so panicked and he ran towards it.

"Deidara!" he shouted again. This time, instead of a shout, he heard an impact of something being thrown.

"You helped him?! You back stabbing traitor!" Itachi heard the hiss in the voice and he rushed foward.

"Let go of him, damn you!" Deidara shouted.

"There, there, blonde one. I've seen you with Itachi... why would you want them to stay alive?" Orochimaru hised. "Unless what I've heard about you is true and you're practically begging to die, hm? All the racing and the gang fights-"

"Shut up!" Deidara hissed.

What Itachi and Kisame hadn't realized was that Sasuke had snuck in with them because Sasori and Tsunade had left to see if there'd be any complications with the Uchiha cases.

* * *

Sasuke waited quietly in the trunk and then he heard the door slam. He grabbed a glowing handle in the trunk and held onto it while it opened so that Kisame wouldn't see the roof rise. He closed it softly and ran to get cover before Kisame saw him.

"Okay Itachi, Deidara... where are you guys," Sasuke whispered to himself. He ran quietly and stealthily where Itachi's blind spot was when his brother fell down to his knees.

He ran past warehouses and he heard shouts.

"Let go of him, you son of a bitch! Deidara shouted. Sasuke's eyes widened when he saw his cousin in Orochimaru's grasp.

"Get off my cousin!" Sasuke shouted, jumping on Orochimaru to tackle him to the ground. Startled, Orochimaru let go of Shisui who was pulled to a safer distance by Deidara as Sasuke and Orochimaru wrestled.

"Deidara!" Itachi shouted.

"Help!" Deidara shouted.

Deidara!" Itachi shouted again. Orochimaru reached into his pocket and something hit hard against his head. He felt himself being throw against the wall.

"You helped him?! You back stabbing traitor!" Itachi heard the hiss in the voice and he rushed foward.

"Let go of him, damn you!" Deidara shouted.

"There, there, blonde one. I've seen you with Itachi... why would you want them to stay alive?" Orochimaru hised. "Unless what I've heard about you is true and you're practically begging to die, hm? All the racing and the gang fights-"

"Shut up!" Deidara hissed. Itachi saw the scene and a very strong sense of deja vu hit him and this time he knew from where.

* * *

_'"I don't know…well, I do know. I've been having this nightmare over and over," Sasuke said, still not looking at him._

"_And what's it about?"_

"_Y…you're with someone- I can't tell who. You're screaming and he is too, I can tell it's a boy because the voice is to deep to be a girl's but you're screaming at someone and you're leaning over me…I'm half conscious. Then a gun gets fired and…and then I wake up," Sasuke said.'_

* * *

"Get away from them!" Itachi shouted, planting himself between the two Uchihas, Deidara, and Orochimaru. He took a fighting stance and Orochimaru eyes him almost warily. Then he started laughing.

"You shouldn't have had your Sharingan removed, Itachi," Orochimaru snickered.

"I don't need it to beat the likes of you," Itachi hissed. Orochimaru laughed and pocketed the gun, running at Itachi to punch him. Itachi, forgetting his Sharingan was removed, relied on it to speed his reactions. He moved back but Orochimaru's fist still caught him and Itachi was crouched over Sasuke.

"Damn you!" Itachi hissed.

"I seem to recall you saying you didn't need your Sharingan to beat me," Orochimaru grinned. "Remember, I have the gun-" Itachi lunged at Orochimaru. They fought over the gun and one shot was fired and they heard two stimotaneous screams of pain and a shout of worry. They didn't stop fighting for the gun and then someone seperated the two. The gun was taken from Itachi's hands and Itachi saw Kisame pinning Orochimaru to the unloaded cargo.

"Go to hell, snake bastard," Kisame sneered, backing up to where Itachi was and then pulling the trigger. Itachi watched with fascinated horror as the body slid down to the floor.

Two more shots were fired for good measure and Itachi knew that Orochimaru was no more when the blood began to seep out of his head and chest.

"Thank you, Kisame," Itachi breathed. He turned to his brother first, seeing in relief that Deidara was holding him but tears were running down both their faces. 'Where is Shisui?' the thought struck him and he looked to where the cargo hadn't been before. Deidara's leg was crushed under it and there were fingers sticking out from under and Itachi felt a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Shisui..." the name escaped from his lips as the sounds of sirens came into hearing range.

* * *

Me: And that is chapter twenty-one. Think they'll make it to homecoming?

Deidara: Tell us by reviewing, yeah.


	22. The Place To Get Hurt

Disclaimer: I no own.

_

* * *

_

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_Deidara's leg was crushed under it and there were fingers sticking out from under and Itachi felt a sick feeling in his stomach. _

_"Shisui..." the name escaped from his lips as the sounds of sirens came into hearing range._

_End recap_

* * *

Itachi sat in the hospital, Sasuke by his side. He was staring blankly at the wall. Both his cousin and his boyfriend- was that the word?- were in emergency treatment. Kisame leaned against the wall, also waiting for the results.

"Did anyone call Sasori?" Kisame asked quietly. Itachi nodded. He couldn't talk. His throat had been sore from the harsh screams to not separate him from his brother, his cousin, his… his Deidara. He had refused to drink any water and Kisame had given up trying. Sasuke was still in shock.

'"_Do you remember what happened?"' _Do you remember what happened- that's what the medical attendant had asked him. Of course he remembered.

* * *

_Flashback_

_The gun that his brother and Orochimaru were fighting over was fired. It hit the rope that was keeping the cargo from falling and they knew it was going to snap. Deidara grabbed Sasuke and moved out of the way, pushing Sasuke out of harm's way. Deidara tripped from pushing him and Shisui was too exhausted to run like Deidara. He tried. Sasuke knew he tried. But there was a muffled scream as the cargo landed on Shisui dead on and another one at the same time as Deidara's leg was crushed. _

_Sasuke crawled over to Deidara, tears in his eyes as he gave the blonde his hand, hoping that somehow, that squeezing it would relieve the pain._

_"Go to hell, snake bastard," he heard Kisame say. He watched as Kisame backed up to where Itachi was and then pulled the trigger. For the second time that night, he watched someone die and he couldn't fight back tears or the sick feeling in his stomach._

_Two more shots were fired for good measure and Sasuke looked away Orochimaru when the blood began to seep out of his head and chest. He felt sick to his stomach. He had lusted for blood when he had the Sharingan- he had lusted for __**Itachi's**__ blood. But seeing the results… he wouldn't have been able to live with himself if he saw his brother's blood seeping from his skin do to a fatal wound. _

_"Thank you, Kisame," Itachi breathed. It was quiet but Sasuke heard it. Itachi turned to Sasuke first, and Sasuke knew that Itachi was relieved seeing that Deidara was holding him._

_"Shisui..." the name escaped from his lips as the sounds of sirens came into hearing range. As a medical attendant came near Sasuke, the younger Uchiha could see his brother fighting against Kisame's hold._

"_Do you remember what happened?" the medical attendant asked. "To him?" Tears began pouring down faster but he couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. Of course he remembered what happened. _

_End Flashback_

* * *

Sasori came through the hospital doors with Gaara in tow. Sasuke didn't rise to meet Gaara. He just continued staring at nothing- he was barely aware of his presence.

"Where is he?" Sasori asked, his voice strained, pissed off, _worried_…

Itachi pointed down the hall and Sasori glared at him, grabbing him by the shirt and forcing him to stand up.

"I trusted you with him!" he shouted. "I trusted you with Deidara!" Itachi didn't bother countering the punch that Sasori delivered to his face but it got Sasuke and Kisame's attention.

"Sasori, stop!" Kisame shouted as he grabbed hold of the red head's wrists pulling him away from Itachi. 'If there's a place to get hurt, its the hospital,' Kisame thought grimly as he inspected Itachi's already swollen face.

"Sasori," Sasuke said quietly. "Orochimaru was already with him when we got there."

"'We'?" Sasori asked. "You were there… you saw…" Sasuke didn't look at Sasori. Sasori relaxed and Kisame let go of him and Sasori leaned against the wall, sliding slowly to the floor. Hidan and Kakuzu arrived on scene, oddly quiet. Kakuzu put a hand on Itachi and Sasori's shoulders before going to sit in an empty chair. Hidan stood quietly, sitting down next to Sasori.

Pein came into the waiting room, followed by Konan, and he looked at his Akatsuki as his girlfriend sat down on the arm chair of Itachi's. She put an arm around his shoulders to comfort him. Pein frowned. He hadn't seen the Akatsuki so down since before he had them form this group. He had gotten them to do it mostly out of fear. Eventually, they grew into a family. He looked at Sasuke and Gaara and considered having them join Akatsuki… but Sasori and Itachi would never allow it.

"Is Orochimaru dead?" Pein asked quietly. Sasuke tensed and Kisame nodded. Pein frowned. Sasuke had seen his death.

"Is anyone family of Deidara Iwagakure?" the doctor asked, coming out of the room. Sasori rose instantly and walked over to him.

"What's his condition?" Sasori asked. The Akatsuki looked up. They had never heard Sasori sound scared; worried… he always seemed so sure of himself and everything he did.

"His leg was shattered… there's a small chance that he may never walk again but it's very slim," he said. "But he'll live." Sasori let out an instant sigh of relief.

"Can I see him?" Sasori asked.

"He's in room 22," the doctor said. "Only one visitor at a time," he added when he saw the rest of the Akatsuki. Sasori looked at Itachi.

"Go," Itachi said his voice hoarse. Sasori nodded and took off to Deidara's room and Itachi got up to talk to the doctor. "What about Uchiha, Shisui? Do you know how he is?"

"I'm sorry; I'm not on his case. I'll get someone to come out and tell you his situation when they're done with surgery," Itachi looked at the clock as the doctor walked away. It had been four and a half hours since the ambulance had come. They knew that Deidara was fine earlier but surgery had kept him in longer. Kisame got up to catch him when his knees let out.

"Drink some water," Konan coaxed, offering him a cup. Itachi shook his head and tried to push it away but Kisame took it from her when he sat down with Itachi on his lap. Itachi felt a hand on his leg and he looked up from his hiding spot in Kisame's chest.

"Brother, drink, please," Sasuke begged. Itachi looked at his brother and sighed, taking the cup and drinking its contents. He showed Sasuke that he'd drank it all and realized how thirsty he actually was, getting off of Kisame's lap to refill the cup.

"Live, Shisui," Itachi whispered. He couldn't tell why he wanted Shisui to live. Was it so that he could show Deidara that he was his choice because he wanted him and not because his cousin had died or rejected him? Or did he actually care about the man who had came into his life and made him fall for him until they realized in some point of the twisted lie that they were cousins?

* * *

"Deidara..." Sasori said quietly, closing the door behind him.

"Hey, danna," the blond smiled weakly. Sasori looked at the IV and looked at his chart.

"How are you feeling?" Sasori asked.

"They just upped the morphine, yeah," Deidara said. "Did you get my bike?" Sasori nodded.

"What were you doing with Orochimaru?" Sasori hissed, sitting down and putting his face in his hands. "I almost lost you, Dei..."

"You know I'd never leave you, danna," Deidara said. "You found that out the hard way, remember, yeah?"

"I remember," Sasori said quietly. "Did they tell you about your leg?"

"The doctor said there's a chance I might never walk without crutches again," Deidara said quietly. He had a faraway look in his eyes.

"You're to stubborn to not be able to walk," Sasori said. "Do you want me to send Itachi in here?"

"Can't you both-"

"You're only allowed in one visitor at a time," Sasori said. "And I punched him..."

"What why?" Deidara asked.

"I didn't know you had already been with Orochimaru before Itachi got there," he said quietly. "Deidara, what happened with Orochimaru?" Deidara looked away from Sasori.

* * *

_Flashback_

_Deidara parked his motercycle. He didn't bother getting off or taking the helmet off, instead moving the visor up so he could see clearly instead of the tinted black. He was feeling anticipation bubbling in his chest. Would he come? He didn't dare think about if he did come. _

_Why had he fallen so hard for him? Was it the way Itachi said his name- how it just rolled off his tongue like it was meant to be said by him? The way his eyes changed colors dangerously? How hot he was? The way he always considered Deidara? Was it because he was a good kisser, not to mention a good dancer? _

_Deidara sighed when he remembered how Itachi's hands felt on him as they danced- ballroom and club style._

_"Deidara?" Shisui asked. Deidara turned and instantly glared at him._

_"What the hell are you doing here?"_

_"Hey, I didn't know you were going to be here, honest," Shisui said, putting his hands up in a sign of peace. "But since you are here... can we talk?"_

_"Fine," Deidara said, still suspicious. He got off his motercycle, taking off his helmet and taking the keys out of the ignition._

_"You were going to homecoming in a leather jacket?" Shisui asked, amused._

_"How'd you know about that?"_

_"Itachi," Shisui shrugged. "He wants you, you know."_

_"Just because he found out that you two were cousins?" Deidara sneered._

_"No, he's wanted you from the very beginning," Shisui said. "But some sick, twisted fate always steers the Uchiha in the wrong direction and no one knows how long it will last."_

_"I found you, Shisui," the snake man hissed. Orochimaru. Deidara thought, dully recognizing him. A fire lit in his chest when he realized that he had been trying to kill Itachi during their race. _

_"Orochimaru," Shisui said quietly. Deidara could see the malice in Shisui's eyes- hell, he could hear it._

_"Why don't both of you come with me?"_

_"If it's all the same to you, I'd rather not," Deidara said._

_"Well you see, you don't really have a choice in the matter," Orochimaru drawled, taking out a gun. "Unless your choice is death, then I can help you out with that."_

_End Flashback_

_

* * *

_

"If Kisame hadn't killed him, I'd be having a few words with the bastard myself," Sasori grumbled.

"Danna, thanks for wanting to protect me and all, yeah..." Deidara said quietly. "But can I talk to Itachi now? I think there's a few things we need to talk about."

"I'll go get him," Sasori said. "Don't do anything you might regret later." Deidara nodded.

* * *

"Itachi," Sasori said quietly. "He wants you." Itachi nodded and got up, going down the hall to where Deidara's room was. His hand froze on the handle before he turned it and pushed.

* * *

And that's chapter twenty-two! Please review.


	23. Planning To Put Things In Proper Place

Disclaimer: I no own. I don't own the lyrics. They are Fall Out Boy's Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year. Lyrics not necessarily in order.

Thanks for reviewing the last two chapters. Please read and review again.

_

* * *

_

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_"Itachi," Sasori said quietly. "He wants you." Itachi nodded and got up, going down the hall to where Deidara's room was. His hand froze on the handle before he turned it and pushed._

_End Recap_

* * *

Deidara's foot was in a cast. His blonde hair, usually kept in a ponytail, was let loose. Secretly, Itachi liked it down.

"Sasori said you wanted to see me?" Itachi asked, trying to play it cool when all he wanted was to be in Deidara's arms.

"We need to talk," Deidara said.

"Yeah…" Itachi nodded, taking a step closer to the bed.

"I'm not going to play this game with you and-"

"You don't have to," Itachi said. "It's over." Deidara nodded.

_Are we growing up or just going down?  
It's just a matter of time until we're all found out  
Take her tears, put them on ice  
Cause I swear I'd burn this city down to show you the light_

"But I'm not going to go out with you now," Deidara said.

"What?" Itachi asked.

"You can wait until the next dance," Deidara said, "that should give you enough time to sort out your thoughts." Itachi nodded, filling numb.

"I'm not going to change my mind."

"Then I'll see you at the next dance then, won't I?" Deidara asked, looking away from him.

"Yeah, you will," Itachi said quietly, blindly finding his way to the door. "I'll send Sasori back in..."

* * *

"Is anyone family of Uchiha, Shisui?" the doctor asked.

"I am," Sasuke said, rising to his feet to meet the doctor.

"So am I," Itachi said.

"Is he alright?" Sasuke asked.

"I'm sorry... but he lost to much blood and his ribs were completely caved in..." the doctor said.

"He's... dead?" Itachi asked, his throat going dry.

_We're the chemists who've found the formula  
To make your heart swell and burst  
No matter what they say, don't believe a word  
_

"I'm sorry," the doctor said. Itachi felt the anger and sadness build up in him and he waited for the red to come- to overtake him... it didn't come, not as his knees gave out and Kisame put him into a chair, not as Sasori was rushing to Deidara's room, and not as Sasuke continuously asked him if he was okay.

"It's gone..." Itachi said.

"What's gone?" the doctor asked.

"The red... it's really gone," Itachi said.

"Is he alright?" the doctor asked Kisame. "What's he talking about?"

"He'll be fine," Kisame said. "He's just... upset."

* * *

"What's going on?" Deidara asked as Sasori came into his room again, more solemn faced then normal.

"Shisui just passed," Sasori said. "Itachi's... not taking it so well." Deidara nodded and looked at his hands and sighed, sinking into the pillows.

"Sasori... I think I've had enough," Deidara said.

"What?" Sasori said. "Dei-"

"I don't mean I'm contemplating suicide," Deidara shook his head. "I'm done hiding things from you..."

"What do you mean?" Sasori asked.

"My father..."

"What about the bastard?" Sasori asked, his jaw twitching.

"He's dead," Deidara said. "I killed him."

"Dei..."

"It was self defense," Deidara said. "At least that's what I keep telling myself..."

_Cause I'll keep singing this lie if you'll keep believing it  
I'll keep singing this lie  
I'll keep singing this lie_

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasori asked.

"I'm a murderer- he was drunk..." Deidara said, shaking his head. "He came at me with a knife, shouting every insult known to man... He had the knife at my throat and we were struggling- I got the upper hand and I got the knife away from him... but-" Deidara stopped himself, choking on his words.

"Dei, don't push yourself-"

"I pushed him down the stairs, Sasori! He came at me again and I pushed him down the stairs- I could have pushed him into the wall or knocked him out- I could have! But I didn't!" Sasori stared at his blonde friend before going to sit next to him and pull him into his chest.

"Deidara, you have nothing to worry about," Sasori said. "It was an accident. You didn't mean to kill him. There were numerous times that you could have killed him but you chose not to. Doesn't that count for something?"

"I don't know, Sasori... I don't know what to think anymore," Deidara groaned. "I want to go back to Iwa..."

"Okay, we'll go back to Iwa," Sasori soothed.

"But your job-"

"I can a teaching job at Iwa. They need teachers who have backbone," Sasori said.

"I haven't even buried him yet..." Deidara said. "He's in his coffin- just sitting there-"

"Relax, we'll bury him," Sasori hushed. "Just go to sleep now."

* * *

"Kisame..." Itachi said.

"Hm?"

"He turned me down for now,"

"Rightfully so, don't you think?"

"Yeah..."

"How are you doing?"

"I... my sharingan is gone... I didn't know how much I relied on it," Itachi said.

"No, don't go down that path, Itachi. We just got it out. If that's how its taken out, I don't want to know how its put in," Kisame said. "How's your eyesight?"

"Better," Itachi said. "I'm not seeing everything in red."

"Are you going to see him... before we leave?" Kisame asked. Itachi stared at the wall before nodding. It was so subtle that Kisame would have missed it if he hadn't been looking for it- if he hadn't known what his best friend would do.

"We'll wait for you outside," Hidan said.

"Yeah..." Itachi said, walking to the room where Shisui's dead body was.

_Are we growing up or just going down?  
It's just a matter of time until we're all found out  
Take her tears, put them on ice  
Cause I swear I'd burn this city down to show you the light_

"Wake up..." Itachi said. "Shisui, wake up please... Come on, I said please..." He didn't look like he was sleeping... wasn't that how the dead were supposed to look? Like they were sleeping? He looked disfigured... but who wouldn't after getting crushed by that cargo box?

"Wake up..." Itachi said. "Wake up!" He sank to his knees, his hands over the blanket that covered Shisui. "Wake up..." He stood back up and hesitated with his hand near Shisui's face.

_We're the lifers here till the bitter end  
Condemned from the start  
Ashamed of the way  
The songs and the words own the beating of our hearts_

_Cause I'll keep singing this lie  
I'll keep singing this lie_

He touched Shisui's face and pulled his hand back when he felt the cold skin.

"No... no!" Itachi shouted. Again, he waited for the red curtain of rage and sadness to overtake him but it didn't. He was left to sink to the floor, letting the tears fall as he touched his dead cousin.

"I loved you... I cared about you- doesn't that count for anything?" Itachi demanded. He didn't hear the door open or close, "Wake up! Just wake up already- I'm not acting like myself! Wake up- come on, this has got to shock you awake- don't be dead! Shisui, why... why won't you wake up?"

"Son, he's dead..." Itachi looked up, waiting for the Sharingan to react but it didn't.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Itachi demanded, shielding Shisui's body. "And don't call me son! I'm no son of yours!" Fugaku stared at him before averting his gaze.

"I deserve that," Fugaku said.

"Why are you even here?" Itachi asked. "You don't care about him- or me."

"I signed the divorce papers your mother gave me," Fugaku said. "And I'm going to counseling."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Itachi snapped.

"He's dead, Fugaku said.

"Then where's his father? Where's Madara?" Itachi demanded.

"He's already been here, Itachi. That's how I found out," Fugaku said.

"Just get out of here," Itachi said. "Just leave!"

"I'm sorry, Itachi... for everything," Fugaku said.

"Wait," Itachi said. Fugaku paused with his hand on the door.

"Did you know he was my cousin? Even when he haven't seen him in years?" Itachi asked.

"Of course I knew," Fugaku said.

"Then why didn't we know?" Itachi asked.

"Maybe you just didn't want to know, Itachi," Fugaku said. Itachi felt numb again as he fell to his knees when Fugaku closed the door.

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here, you bastard?" Kisame hissed at Fugaku.

"I came to mourn for my nephew," Fugaku said. "My s- Itachi. Itachi needs someone to get him out of there."

* * *

"Are you sure it was right to let Fugaku know where he was?" Deidara asked.

"Some things can't be fixed, Deidara," Sasori said. "But there are things that can be used for closure."

"Should we let them know that we're leaving?" Deidara asked.

"No. They have enough on their minds. They'll figure it out later," Sasori said, starting Hidan's truck. "Hidan will let them know."

_And There's a drug in the thermostat to warm the room up  
But there's another around to help us bend your trust  
I've got a sunset in my veins  
And I need to take a pill to make this town feel okay_


	24. Sing A New Song

Disclaimer: I no own. I don't own the lyrics either, they are Abba's Chiquitita. I forgot Himirko's name when I was writing this so I had to look it up... I was literally going to put what's-her-face.

Please read and review. Thanks for reviewing the last chapter.

_

* * *

_

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_"Should we let them know that we're leaving?" Deidara asked._

_"No. They have enough on their minds. They'll figure it out later," Sasori said, starting Hidan's truck. "Hidan will let them know."_

_End Recap_

* * *

One week after Deidara and Sasori left, Shisui's funeral was held...

"Don't!" Itachi shouted. "He can't be dead-!" Kisame grabbed him to stop him from throwing himself into the coffin.

"Itachi, he's dead," Mikoto said, tears streaming down her face.

"He can't be! He can't be dead-!"

"Itachi, this in not like you!" Sasuke said. He was crying too but to Kisame, it seemed no one was crying harder then Itachi.

"He's not dead! He's just sleeping!"

"Saying it... won't convince you Itachi,"

"Fugaku..." Mikoto said.

"What are you doing here?" Itachi spat. Itachi stopped struggling and Kisame relaxed his grip.

"I'm here to bury my nephew," Fugaku said. Itachi escaped Kisame's hold and aimed a punch at his father. Fugaku took the first one without flinching. When Itachi raised his fist again, Fugaku grabbed it, holding his son's hands almost imobile.

"He's not dead!" Itachi shouted. "He's not!"

"It's time to let him go," Fugaku said. Itachi went limp and Fugaku caught his crying son. "It will be okay..."

* * *

"Why haven't Deidara or Sasori been at school?" Kisame asked Kakuzu.

"They're probably still traumatized," Kakuzu shrugged. "You should know that, why?"

"Even Itachi and Sasuke have dragged their asses back to school," Kisame said. "Then some girl asked me why Mr. Akasuna hasn't been teaching class." Kakuzu sighed.

"Sasori's overprotective," he said. "He probably won't even let Deidara come back until they're positive Orochimaru's six feet under."

"I was thinking of doing the same with Itachi," Kisame admitted.

"You've never been able to make that Uchiha do what he doesn't want to," Kakuzu said. "Anyone seen Zetsu lately?"

"He hasn't been around," Kisame said. "He's missed all the action."

"Why are you talking about me like I'm not here?" Itachi asked, not looking up at them. He just stared at the floor.

_Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong  
You're enchained by your own sorrow  
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow  
How I hate to see you like this  
There is no way you can deny it  
I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet_

"Hey, Itachi!" Himiko said. "You still haven't asked me to the Valentine's dance!"

"And he's not going to," Kisame snapped, grabbing Itachi's arm and leading him away.

* * *

November

"Itachi, cheer up!" Mikoto smiled at her eldest son. "We have our own house... I know its not as big as-"

"No, mom," Itachi said, giving her a small smile. "It's perfect."

"Itachi, mom, look at this!" Sasuke shouted. "We have flowers!"

"Sasuke, those are good as dead," Itachi frowned, examining the flowers.

"We can make them come back to life, right?"

"Of course," Mikoto smiled.

* * *

(normal font: present time. _italicized font, Deidara's dad's funeral two weeks after they left Konohagakure)_

"You blew up a science table?!" Sasori shouted.

_"You are the son?" a lady asked him._

_"Yes," Deidara nodded stoicly._

_"I'm sorry, you must be devestated," she said. He didn't answer. Instead he just stared at the open coffin._

_"We don't have to stay," Sasori said. Deidara didn't answer him and Sasori sighed._

_"Would you like to say a few words, Mr. Deidara?" the priest asked._

_"Shouldn't you ask that at-" Sasori began to reprimand the man but Deidara cut him off._

_"Actually, I would," Deidara said. Sasori sucked in his breath as Deidara walked to the head of the coffin with the priest in tow._

_"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the deceased's son. He has a few words for us today..."_

_"My... My name is Deidara. Most of you here didn't even know that he had a son until recently..."_

"Are you still upset about your dad's funeral? No?"

_"The fact that he fell down the stairs was... an accident," Deidara said. "But I was the one who pushed him down. He didn't 'fall.' I pushed him."_

"It... wasn't me," Deidara said, looking away from Sasori. "I didn't do it."

"You didn't blow up the science table?" Sasori wasn't sure whether or not to believe Deidara. Deidara didn't blame him; he was an explosives expert, after all.

"It wasn't me," he repeated.

_"Before you condemn me, most of you probably didn't know that he was a heavy drinker... a very heavy drinker," Deidara said, taking a breath. "When my mom died, he began getting violent when he drank."_

"Then what happened?" Sasori asked.

_Chiquitita, tell me the truth  
I'm a shoulder you can cry on  
Your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on_

"My lab partner did it," Deidara said. "I wasn't even doing anything."

_"I have been abused by my father for a long time now... and I'm not sorry he's dead," Deidara said. "Thank you for your time. Can we go now?"_

_"Of course," Sasori said._

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Do you really think they'd believe me?" Deidara asked. "But danna?"

"What, brat?"

"Do you really think I'd make an explosion that small?" There was a small smirk on Deidara's face.

'Is it because of Itachi then?' Sasori thought, not wanting to ruin the first sign of happiness he had seen on Deidara's face in a long while.

* * *

December

"Kisame?" Kisame jumped. Ever since Deidara had left, Itachi spoke even less then he had before.

"Yeah, Itachi?"

"Do you think he'll come back?"

"Didn't he say he would?"

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to Konoha early?" Sasori asked.

"I told him the next dance," Deidara said firmly.

* * *

Late January

"Itachi, you didn't even attempt to answer the questions on this test," Tsunade said. "Were these to easy again?"

"This was a test?" Itachi asked. Tsunade frowned and put the test down. He was hearing her words, just not comprehending the meaning...

"Itachi... are you alright?" Tsunade asked.

_You were always sure of yourself  
Now I see you've broken a feather  
I hope we can patch it up together_

"I'm fine," he said gruffly. Tsunade sighed.

"How are you doing without your Sharingan?"

"I can see now, if that's what you're asking," Itachi said. "May I go now?"

"One more question; does this have anything to do with Deidara leaving?"

"And if it does?" Itachi tensed.

"Nevermind; go," Tsunade said. His answer told her more then enough.

Itachi Uchiha was in love with Deidara Iwagakure.

* * *

"So is it almost time?" Sasori asked, seeing Deidara look out the window with a smile on his face.

"It's almost time, yeah," Deidara said. "Do you think he waited?"

"I know he did," Sasori said with a small smile.

"Hey, danna, you smiled! Smile again, yeah!" Deidara grinned. "Smile again!"

"What? Shut up brat, I did not!" Sasori snapped.

_Chiquitita, you and I know  
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving  
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end  
You will have no time for grieving_

_

* * *

_

"Kisame..." Mikoto said. "Is Itachi going to be alright?"

"I don't know," Kisame answered.

"Does it have something to do with that blonde boy?" Mikoto asked. "Is that why my son is like this?"

"Deidara didn't-"

"I didn't mean to imply that," Mikoto said hastily. "I just... why did he leave if they wanted to be together?"

"Who filled you in?" Kisame asked.

"Sasori called. He wanted to see how Itachi was doing," Mikoto said.

"I don't know all the details... but I think it has something to do with Shisui's death," Kisame said.

_Chiquitita, you and I cry  
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you  
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before_

"Well have fun at your sleepover," Mikoto said, forcing a smile.

"Thanks, Mrs. U- er, Ms. Uchiha," Kisame said.

"Ready to go?" Itachi asked.

"Yeah, ready," Kisame nodded.

"Bye sweetie," Mikoto said, kissing her son's cheek.

"Bye mom," Itachi said.

"You alright, Itachi?" Kisame asked when they were in the car. "How are you doing?" Itachi didn't answer him, instead, he just leaned against the window.

_Sing a new song, chiquitita  
Try once more like you did before  
Sing a new song, chiquitita_

_

* * *

_

"You ready to go back?" Sasori asked.

"Yeah..." Deidara said. "I think so."

"Alright, start packing," Sasori said.

Later that night, Sasori heard... nothing. He looked into Deidara's room and saw the blonde with his back to Sasori.

"Dei?" Sasori said. "You okay? Answer me, brat. You know I don't like to be kept waiting."

"I... what if he doesn't want me, danna?" Deidara asked. "What if, when I see him, I don't feel... anything?"

"Answer that when you see him, brat. Until then, don't think about it," Sasori advised.

_So the walls came tumbling down  
And your love's a blown out candle  
All is gone and it seems too hard to handle  
Chiquitita, tell me the truth  
There is no way you can deny it  
I see that you're oh so sad, so quiet_

_

* * *

_

"Kisame..." Itachi said, slipping into the sleeping bag.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think... Shisui suffered?"

"What do you want to hear?" Kisame asked.

"I don't want him to have suffered..."

"Well then, I'm sure he didn't," Kisame said.

"Are you just telling me that?"

"Just make up your mind Itachi,"

"He didn't suffer,"

"Okay then,"

"Kisame?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Sasori's mad at me?"

"Why would Sasori be mad at you?"

"Because he punched me,"

"Itachi..."

"I know, I know..."

"Good,"

"Kisame?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think Deidara hates me?"

"Would he have promised to come back if he hated you?"

"He might not have hated me then,"

"Just shut up and go to sleep Itachi," Kisame said. "You'll be your old self soon enough."

_Chiquitita, you and I know  
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving  
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end  
You will have no time for grieving_

"How do you know?"

"I know,"

"But I have the higher IQ,"

"I have the brawn. Now shut up and go to sleep before I come down there."

* * *

"Danna?"

"What, Deidara?"

"Do you think Itachi hates me?"

"Why would he hate you?"

"Because I made him wait,"

"If he doesn't want to wait the he doesn't deserve you,"

"Danna?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think Kisame hates me?"

"Why would_ Kisame_ hate you?"

"Because I probably hurt his best friend,"

"If he should hate anyone, he should hate me. I punched his best friend,"

"Danna?"

"What, brat?"

"Why _did _you punch Itachi?"

"Just shut up and go to bed brat,"

"Okay, yeah..." Deidara said. "Danna?"

"What?!"

"Goodnight,"

"Ugh!"

_But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you  
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before  
Sing a new song, chiquitita_

February

"How does it feel to be back in Konoha, brat?" Sasori asked.

"I think you're liking it better then I am, yeah," Deidara said.

"You're anxious," Sasori stated. "Run to the store and get some milk? Granny Chiyo said she needed some..."

"The store's-"

"Your bike's in the garage," Sasori said matter of factly. "You didn't really think I'd get you a bike and then let it rot, did you?"

"Thanks danna, yeah!" Deidara grinned, hugging Sasori before he ran into the garage.

* * *

"That boy..." Saosri sighed.

* * *

"Itachi?"

"Yes, mom?"

"Can you run to the store and get a carton of eggs? It seems we're out..."

"Sure," Itachi said. "I'll be back soon."

* * *

Deidara walked out of the store with milk. He walked down the street and rthen he stopped and turned around. He don't know what made him turn around but he did. He stared at Uchiha, Itachi's back. Deidara's eyes widened.

He wasn't ready to talk to him yet.

Itachi felt a shiver run down his spine. Someone was watching him. He turned around, glaring but it turned into surprise when he saw Deidara. His lips parted slightly. Was that really the blonde standing there? It wasn't time for the dance- that wasn't for another few days... well of course they'd be back early to get their things settled in...

But Itachi wasn't ready to talk. Not yet.

They both turned around slowly but then Itachi spun on his heel rather quickly and ran to Deidara. He grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, trapping him against the brick wall as he kissed him.

_Try once more like you did before  
Sing a new song, chiquitita  
Try once more like you did before  
Sing a new song, chiquitita_

_

* * *

_

Me: Shingami's Bleeding Anime: Nothing quite motivates an author like reviewing practically every chapter all in one day! I was a little freaked out when I saw how many emails I had in my inbox but then I read them and started this chapter!

Deidara: Review, yeah!


	25. I Love You

_Italicized Lyrics: Plan On Forever by Sue Ann Carwell_

**Bold Lyrics: She Don't Want A Man by Asher Roth featuring Keri Hilson.**

Me: And I'd like to thank Plan On Forever by Sue Ann Carwell for inspiring this story (hence the title and first and last chapter) and She Don't Want A Man by Asher Roth featuring Keri Hilson for inspiring this chapter. Thanks everyone who reviewed this story and stuck with it until the very end. Please review and tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I only own Himiko.

Lyrics aren't in order.

_

* * *

_

_Recap of Last Chapter_

_He wasn't ready to talk to him yet._

_Itachi felt a shiver run down his spine. Someone was watching him. He turned around, glaring but it turned into surprise when he saw Deidara. His lips parted slightly. Was that really the blonde standing there? It wasn't time for the dance- that wasn't for another few days... well of course they'd be back early to get their things settled in..._

_But Itachi wasn't ready to talk. Not yet._

_They both turned around slowly but then Itachi spun on his heel rather quickly and ran to Deidara. He grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, trapping him against the brick wall as he kissed him._

_End Recap_

* * *

And then he ran.

"What the hell?" Deidara said, sliding down the brick wall.

_How could I plan on forever?  
When I never planned on you  
Someone to fall for  
To love for all eternity_

"What did I just do?" Itachi asked himself, grabbing a pole for support when he noticed that he wasn't carrying a carton of eggs. "Aw crap..."

"What are you doing and why are you out of breath?" Konan asked him.

"I ran from Deidara because I kissed him and I forgot eggs,"

"Eggs?"

"Eggs,"

"Why...?"

"Because I kissed Deidara!"

"Why...?"

"Because I couldn't talk to him!"

"Why...?"

"Because I wasn't ready to talk to him!"

"Itachi-"

"I love him, alright?!" Itachi said and then he realized what he said. "Oh..."

"Maybe you should go home," Konan suggested.

"Home, right..."

"And Itachi?"

"Hn?"

"Congratulations," Itachi nodded and began running home.

* * *

"Welcome back, Itachi! Did you get the- oh!" Mikoto cut herself off in surprise when Itachi hugged her and kissed her cheek. "Did something good happen?"

"I'm in love with Deidara!" he said, spinning her around before going into the living room to ruffle Sasuke's hair.

"Itachi, that's great but where are the eggs?"

"The store!"

_Baby let's plan on forever  
And watch all our dreams come true  
You're what I live for  
Who I can give for ever to  
My destiny is you_

_

* * *

_

"Dei? You look like you've seen Itachi," Sasori said when the blonde came into the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah..." Deidara said. "Maybe..."

"Everything all right?"

"Yeah," Deidara said, a small smile touching his lips. "I think I love him..."

"What did you say?" Sasori asked, turning down the volume on the television.

"I love him," Deidara said, louder this time. "Danna, I think I love him."

"You realized that with a trip to the supermarket?"

"He kissed me,"

"Okay... I'm going back to watching television. It makes me not like a parent,"

"Danna!"

"What?"

"You could at least say something!"

"We arranged for you to go to the supermarket to talk, not to fall in love,"

"Who's 'we'?"

"Mikoto and I,"

"You did what?!"

"I said I'm going back to watching television!"

"Why?!"

"Because there is nothing in these stupid teen drama about what to do when something like this happens to the parent!"

"Something like what?!"

"When his son falls in love after a trip to the stupid supermarket after being gone for months and all the other crap that has happened!"

"I love you too, danna," Deidara said. "Hey danna?"

"What, brat?"

"Why are you watching teen dramas?"

"Shut up and get out!"

"I just got in!"

"I don't care!"

"Boys, why are you shouting?" Granny Chiyo asked, walking into the room calmly.

"Danna loves me," Deidara grinned.

"I do not,"

"Yes you do,"

"We all know you do, Sasori. There's no use in denying it," Granny Chiyo said.

"I have never said-"

"I was twelve," Deidara said.

"I am held to nothing I said at that age," Sasori sneered.

"Then why have you been watching teenage dramas if you do not love him enough to understand what he is going through?"

"That's it! I'm leaving!" Sasori snapped, a red blush marring his cheeks. He grabbed his coat and slammed the door.

"Pleasure doing business with you Granny Chiyo," Deidara grinned.

"There is no greater pleasure then making Sasori flush with embarrassment... it does help that I get paid in the process," Granny Chiyo said. Deidara sighed and gave her a ten dollar bill.

"You drive a hard bargain, old lady,"

_Baby let's plan on forever  
And watch all our dreams come true  
You're what I live for  
Who I can give for ever to_

_

* * *

_

"Is this for real, yeah?" Deidara asked.

"Is what for real?" Sasori asked, straightening Deidara's tie.

"Are we actually going to a dance without crazy maniacs and all that other crap that was going on, yeah?"

"Yes,"

"Are you sure he's going to show up?"

"If he doesn't, you'll kill him,"

"Me? Why me?"

"He's your date,"

"Yeah, but why me?"

"What? Did you want me to do it?"

"I thought you'd at least offer,"

"Fine. If he does not show up, I will hunt him down kicking and screaming and if he still doesn't arrive before the dance is over, I will kill him. Happy?"

"Deliriously,"

* * *

"For some reason, I have a feeling that my mom is going to do this even though you've already done and redone my tie at least five times," Itachi commented dryly to Kisame.

"It is not my fault these stupid things do not turn out right," Kisame grumbled. Itachi rolled his eyes.

"Mom!"

"What is it, Itachi?" she asked, opening the door as if she had been waiting there.

"Kisame doesn't know how to tie a tie,"

"I do to!" Kisame snapped. His mother's soft laughter brought a small smile to his face as she walked calmly to them, tying Kisame's tie before moving to Itachi.

"Are you guys ready yet?" Sasuke asked impatiently. Itachi raised a calm eyebrow, moving his hair out of the way as his mom fixed his tie.

"You were the one who insisted to go with us," Itachi reminded him.

"Don't worry, I'm seriously regretting it now," Sasuke said. Itachi rolled his eyes with a smirk.

"There," Mikoto said. "Now I want pictures!" The boys groaned but obligingly followed Mikoto out. "And Itachi, take a picture with Deidara. I don't know why he isn't coming here. Have you seen him since you went to the supermarket?"

"Supermarket?" Kisame asked. "What happened at the supermarket?"

"Nothing you won't hear about later," Itachi said smoothly.

"He realized he is madly in love with Deidara,"

Color rushed to Itachi's face as he glared at Sasuke.

"Run," he said. Sasuke grinned and took off, running for his life.

"He turned red," Kisame said. "I don't think I have ever seen him turn red."

"And I got it on camera," Mikoto said brightly when the door bell rang. "I wonder who that could be?" She opened the door to reveal a very uncomfortable Gaara pulling at his collar.

"Hi..." he said uncertainly.

"Hello Gaara, come on in," Mikoto said. "Are you here for Sasuke?" Gaara avoided her gaze but nodded.

"Mom, he's going to kill me!" Sasuke shouted, jumping over the couch, his foot barely avoiding being caught by Itachi's hand.

"Damn straight I'm going to kill you!"

"Boys!" Itachi and Sasuke froze, Sasuke running into the wall he was about to turn to get into the kitchen and Itachi getting hit by the height of the couch and knocking it over.

"Gaara's here," Mikoto said. "And I want pictures."

"Hi Gaara," Sasuke said.

"Hi," Gaara said. "Uh, corsage..."

"Oh, right! I'll be right back," Sasuke said.

"But I-" Gaara took out a corsage but Sasuke didn't see and ran to his room instead, jumping over his brother.

"Are you as weirded out as I am?" Kisame whispered to Gaara who ducked his head. Kisame and Itachi could tell that the teen was trying to remain stoic.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" Mikoto asked.

"Got it! Coming," he shouted, coming into view with a clear box.

"Well isn't that sweet," Itachi teased with a smirk.

"Don't make me tell Deidara..." Sasuke threatened as he and Gaara exchanged the flowers.

"You wouldn't," Itachi said.

"I would,"

"You-"

"Sasuke, Gaara. Door, pictures," Mikoto said with a smile. "You can argue in the car boys, as you still look presentable."

"The only good thing about our last name is that it means we _always_ look presentable," Sasuke and Itachi said together as Mikoto took pictures of Gaara and Sasuke.

_Sometimes the one you're right  
for is standing too close to see  
But you saw the light and never gave up on me_

"And who did you get your good looks from?"

"Mom, you don't even need to ask," Itachi said, getting up to take the camera from her and handing it to Kisame. "Family picture." Mikoto stood in the middle of her two boys, smiling as if she couldn't be any prouder. When she looked at her two boys, she didn't know how she could be any prouder.

"Maybe I should have dressed up too," Mikoto said. "You two look so ravishing, all dressed up and I'm in every day clothes.

"Ms. Uchiha, anyone would beg to take you to dance," Kisame said.

"Why thank you Kisame. Don't keep Deidara waiting and don't forget the corsage, Itachi," Mikoto reminded him.

"I've got it. Love you mom," Itachi said, kissing her cheek as he walked by her.

"Love you," Sasuke said, kissing her other cheek the same time as Itachi.

"Love you too boys,"

"Bye, Ms. Uchiha," Kisame said, kissing her cheek after the Uchiha boys.

"Bye, Kisame,"

"Um... nice seeing you again, Ms. Uchiha," Gaara said, slightly rushing to get out of the apartment.

"Bye Gaara,"

"You don't have to be nervous. It's just my mom," Sasuke teased Gaara. Itachi snorted.

"'Just mom'?" he asked. "I'll have you know that every boy in school who wasn't gay was begging to be her boyfriend. The one's who were gay, would have turned straight if she wanted them too."

"Was she really that popular?" Gaara asked.

"Fugaku almost didn't get her," Itachi said. "He got lucky and they got paired together for an assignment. He requested an arranged marriage and at the time, she was charmed by him and she said yes,"

"Enough talk about the past," Kisame said after a moment of silence. "Let's get our asses to the dance!"

* * *

"He will be here," Sasori said, closing his eyes in annoyance.

"What if he doesn't come? What if he decided he didn't want me and backs out?" Deidara asked, pacing.

"Deidara, I have already told you; if he does not show up, I will hunt him down kicking and screaming and if he still doesn't arrive before the dance is over, I will kill him. Now stop pacing and sit down," Sasori snapped.

"But danna, I'm restless!"

"Then at least put that energy somewhere else!"

"Like where?"

"Go dance with someone!"

"But what if he sees me dancing with someone else and thinks that I want to be with them?"

"Where do you get these ridiculous thoughts?"

"It always happens in the drama. You should know,"

"Deidara..."

"Come on, danna! Let's dance!"

"What happened to if you dance with someone else, he'll think that you want to be with them?" Sasori asked sourly as Deidara pulled him out of his chair and onto the dance floor.

"He won't think that if its you, danna,"

"Don't call me that,"

"But why not danna?"

"One, we're in school and two, just don't call me that,"

"No need to be such a sourpuss, danna,"

"I will step on your foot,"

"You will not,"

"The shut up,"

"Yes, danna,"

"And don't call me that,"

"Yes, danna,"

"Deidara!"

"Sorry danna,"

* * *

"Itachi?" Kisame asked, looking at his friend as Itachi paused at the door after Sasuke and Gaara went in.

"What if he's not in there?" Itachi asked.

"If he's not in there now, he will be soon," Kisame asked. "I'll even be your wing man."

"My what?"

**I see Boyder and ask him,  
****Yo can you take her fat friend?  
****He laughs and then digs in  
****Hell yeah I'll be your wing man**

"You know, your wing man," Kisame said.

"Thanks?" Itachi said, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll help you,"

"Thanks," Itachi said, straightening out his tie. "For everything, you know-"

"No getting sappy on me," Kisame ordered, "Go in there and get your man." Itachi smirked and pulled at his jacket once to make sure it was flawless and walked into the room.

**Quiet and confident,  
Not a bit I'm the shit,  
Screaming OW! out loud,  
Right now I'm the shit,  
Let em know let it go**

**

* * *

**

"Do you think we should have seen why Itachi didn't go in?" Gaara asked.

"No," Sasuke said. "Kisame knows how to handle him. See? There he is, star of the show as always..."

"Sasuke, look in a mirror,"

"Why?"

"Because you're the only star I see," there was a pause. "That was horrendously corny, wasn't it?"

"Horrendoudly," Sasuke agreed with a chuckle. He licked his lower lip before he kissed Gaara, not knowing how else to thank him.

* * *

"Do you see him?" Itachi asked quietly.

"Yeah, he's with Sasori," Kisame said. "They're not all that hard to spot."

"Shut up. I just got out of eye surgery,"

"That was months ago,"

"I'm a slow recoverer,"

"Shut up and get your ass over there before some girl spots you,"

"Thanks for jinxing me," Itachi said, trying to catch eye contact with Deidara, smirking when he finally did and they slowly began to make their way over to each other.

**Feeling sexy feeling grown,  
I be sipping on patron mixed with pineapple,  
As she looks up, spots me only for a sec  
But in that moment our eyes lock,  
I swear that we had sex**

"Oh, there you are, Itachi!" Itachi almost groaned out loud as Himiko grabbed onto his arm.

"Let go of me," he said, having little patience. He tried to tug his arm free from her and then he realized that he had lost sight of Deidara and cursed.

"Let's dance, Itachi!" Himiko said.

"Let's not," Itachi suggested, looking for Deidara.

"How about _we _dance, Itachi?" he heard the familiar voice from behind and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Let's," Itachi agreed. Deidara pulled his arm out of Himiko's grasp and pulled him almost behind himself.

"Let me make this clear to you, Himiko, since you don't seem to realize it," Deidara said. "He's gay and he wants me." Himiko gaped at them as Deidara walked away calmly with Itachi before she started crying. Her sister joined her with an equally pathetic expression.

"You saved me," Itachi said as he put one hand on Deidara's waist and took Deidara's right hand in his own. "What's wrong?"

"_Do _you want me?" Deidara asked quietly.

"Actions speak louder then words," Itachi told him quietly. Deidara looked confused for a moment and then Itachi kissed him. They stopped dancing and Deidara circled Itachi's neck with his hands, enjoying the kiss as Itacih's hands tightened around his waist. Deidara sighed into the kiss with a content smile.

"All right you two love birds, stop making out and let's go outside," Pein interrupted them, holding a camera. "The fireworks will be on soon."

"What fireworks?" Sasori asked. "Pein, what fireworks?"

"The ones that will be on soon," Pein said.

"Deidara, did you have something to do with this?" Sasori asked.

"Of course, yeah," Deidara grinned. He held Itachi's hand as they went outside to take the picture, both equally red and one grinning and the other unable to wipe the smile off his face.

_Baby, let's plan on forever  
And watch all our dreams come true  
You're what I live for_

* * *

Eight months later...

"Is there anything you want danna?" Deidara asked.

"A normal picture?" Sasori suggested while looking at the result of the photo he had finally found a frame for from the night of the dance. It had been normal... until Pein held the camera up. Naruto jumped into the picture at the last minute. Sasuke, whose shoulders he had jumped on, was still recovering from the surgery- despite the fact it had been a few months ago, had fallen on Gaara who grabbed onto Sasori who then grabbed out an caught Zetsu whose double personalities kicked in and he knocked over Kisame in the battle for control who fell into Hidan who was caught by Kakuzu who grabbed onto Itachi to steady himself who couldn't hold Hidan and Kakuzu's weight combined or seperately and fell sideways onto Deidara who barely missed hitting Konan...

And they almost all fell down when Pein decided to take the picture.

"Danna, what does a picture have to do with what you want at the store?"

"I don't want anything at the store, brat," Sasori scowled.

"Geez, no need to be a grumpy scorpion," Deidara teased, dancing out of reach as Sasori tried to take a swipe at him.

"Shut up and go meet that stupid boyfriend of yours," Sasori snapped.

Deidara grinned and took off, running to meet Itachi. He was to active to take his motercycle.

He slowed to a stop when Itachi came into view. Itachi turned slowly and saw him, giving him a small smile. Deidara grinned and resumed running, throwing himself into Itachi's arms and found himself being held tightly.

"Move in with me," Itachi said.

"What?" Deidara asked.

"Move in with me," Itachi repeated.

"Are you serious, yeah?" Deidara said.

"Would I ask if I wasn't?"

"Yes!" Deidara said.

"Yes you'll move in or yes-"

"Yes, I'll move in with you!"

_Now I see  
My destiny  
Is you_

* * *

Sasori sighed as he helped move boxes into Deidara and Itachi's new apartment. He held onto the box, wondering if he had remembered to pack all of Deidara's things or if Deidara and Itachi had enough kitchen utensils or if the land line was going to work properly or-

"How you holding up?" Kisame asked.

"It seems like yesterday he showed up," Sasori said.

"I know what you mean," Kisame said. "It seems like only yesterday that Itachi and I were kids on the playground, with Itachi holding Sasuke."

"And when they entered their first races,"

"I wasn't there for Deidara's,"

"Scared the hell out of me," Sasori admitted. "I didn't even know he had signed up until I saw his hair. I was so mad..."

"Well, maybe Deidara will get pregnant and they'll have to move back in with us,"

"Deidara's a guy,"

"Fine, Itachi will get pregnant,"

"I don't think they'll enjoy the fact that you wished children upon them. Babies coming out of a woman is bad enough but men?" Sasori shuddered.

"We having a party or something out here?" Konan asked.

"Reminiscing," Sasori informed her.

"Everybody's favorite past time." she responded easily. "But what about wishing children upon who?"

"Kisame wishes children to come out of Itachi or Deidara," Sasori said.

"Where would it come out of?" Konana made a face.

* * *

Two weeks later...

"Would you do yourself, yeah?"

"Excuse me?" Itachi said, not certain he had heard the blonde correctly.

"Would you do yourself?" Deidara repeated.

"Where is this coming from?"

"It's a simple question,"

"Coming from where?"

"Would you? Because I would," Deidara said, looking out the window. Itachi raised an eyebrow, careful about how he projected his voice.

"Where are you going with this, Dei?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Just curious I guess."

"So you'd do me?" Itachi whispered with a smirk into Deidara's ear. "Or you'd do yourself? Because I know I'd certainly do you." Deidara jumped a little and then moaned when Itachi's hand rubbed along the front of his jeans. He arched into Itachi's hand, trying to get more friction but Itachi lazily continued his pattern.

"Itachi," he groaned. Itachi took it as a sign to continue pulled Deidara into him so the blonde could feel his erection pressed against his back and undid the button and Deidara's zipper and slipped his hand under the boxers. Deidara bucked and let out another moan that Itachi was beginning to enjoy hearing.

"Do you want more?" Itachi asked, grabbing the blonde's balls and moving his hard on against Deidara's back.

"God- yes, Itachi!" Itachi smirked and stood up, forcing Deidara to come up with him, and he withdrew his hand from Deidara's pants. Deidara let out a noise of protest with the loss but Itachi pulled down his jeans and boxers together and Deidara stepped out of them. Itachi pushed Deidara gently onto the bed and brought the blonde's knees over his shoulder and licked tentatively at the head of Deidara's dick. Deidara tried to buck but Itachi grabbed onto his hips and help him down, using his tongue to lick up and down the length.

"Itachi!" Deidara moaned as Itachi took his cock inside his mouth. He lifted his hips, wanting to have Itachi take more of him into his mouth but Itachi held him firmly down. He let out a strangled yell as Itachi deep throated him, and then pulled away to come up for air when his gag reflex kicked in. He leaned in for another taste but Deidara stopped him and went to work on Itachi's shirt and jeans. He eagerly helped Itachi out of them and his boxers and afterwards, had Itachi sitting on the floor after Itachi had removed his shirt. He sucked on Itachi's dick, grabbing his balls and making Itachi moan with pleasure. Itachi bucked and Deidara let him before pinning his hips down and deep throating him.

"Deidara!" Itachi moaned. Deidara pulled back but licked up and down Itachi's length before sukcing on his balls and using his hand to grasp Itahi's dick.

"Suck," Dediara said, giving him his fingers.

"But-"

"I believe I started this, yeah," Deidara said with a smirk. Itachi looked a little lost but he took Deidara's fingers into his mouth, covering them with saliva. Deidara pulled his fingers out of Itachi's mouth and helped him to lay down, afterwards, prodding at his entrance until he had Itachi moving his hips, trying to get the finger in him.

"Are you ready?" Deidara asked.

"Yes, Deidara!" Itachi said through gritted teeth. Deidara nodded and pushed one finger into Itachi's hole. Itachi groaned, and moved his hips as Deidara fingered him, matching the rythm Deidara provided. Deidara prodded Itachi's hole again with another finger and pushed another one to join the previous one in. Itachi sucked in a breath and Deidara leaned forward and kissed him.

"Relax," he said. Itachi took a breath and nodded. Deidara moved his fingers in and out slowly, letting Itachi get used to the feeling. He began searching inside for the spot he knew would make Itachi gasp-

"Deidara!" Itachi moaned, bucking his hips.

"Found it," Deidara smirked. "Keep that spot in mind." He thrusted his fingers again and Itachi moaned again, his breath coming out in a ragged pattern before Deidara stopped.

"It will be uncomfortable at first," Deidara warned. "But it will get better." Slowly, he pushed a third finger in. Itachi tensed up and Deidara stopped, leaning forward to engage in another kiss. When he felt Itachi relax, he pushed the finger in all the way. He waited as Itachi squirmed, trying to get used to the feeling. Deidara felt his own dick throbbing and he knew that he wanted Itachi.

"I want you," he whispered to him.

"I want you too," Itachi said back, bringing Deidara's head down so he could kiss him and then he moaned. Deidara pulled his fingers out and Itachi groaned at the loss. He wasn't quite sure what Deidara was doing although he suspected lube when he opened his eyes to see the bottle and he felt something prod at his entrance after awhile.

"Are you ready?" Deidara asked.

"Yes," Itachi nodded. Dediara pulled Itachi's legs over his shoulder and pushed slowly into Itachi, allowing the Uchiha to adjust to his size. He kissed Itachi as if his life depend on it, inching in slowly until he was a'l the way in.

"Move!" Itachi ordered, trying to move his hips to get Deidara to accomodate his wishes. Deidara moved slowly at first, hitting his prostate and making him moan.

"Faster!" Itachi groaned. "Dammit Deidara, faster!"

"So demanding," Dediara smirked but he obliged, allowing himself to be lost inside of Itachi, hitting his prostate every time. Itachi moaned and moved his hips to meet Deidara's thrusts.

"D-Deidara!" Itachi shouted when he came.

"Itachi!" Deidara shouted, Itachi calling his name in bliss sending him over the edge. He collapsed on top of Itachi, both breathing heavily.

"Deidara..." Itachi panted.

"Y...yeah?" Deidara asked.

"I love you," Itachi said.

"I love you too, yeah," Deidara smiled, kissing Itachi like there was no tomorrow.

* * *

Me: I knew I rated this M for a reason. What do you guys think of a sequel to Planning On Forever? Thanks everyone for sticking with this story even though the updates were up and down and yadda yadda. What does everyone think about the lemon? It was my first!

Sasori: And no, said sequal won't be about a Deidara or Itachi getting pregnant!

Deidara: Review, yeah!


End file.
